Castle- Skeletons in the Closet
by ywkls
Summary: Written and set during the early 4th season
1. Chapter 1

I

"Is it just me, or does it smell like something the cat drug in?" Castle asked, stepping around a pile of trash as he weaved between the mounds of similar materials that surrounded them. "It's a landfill. What do you expect? Roses?" Beckett countered. Just ahead, he could see the tape which marked off the crime scene they had come to investigate and the usual crowd of officers who were busily poring over the refuse for any clues. "I'm just saying that our killer could have been a little more considerate about his choice of venues. Death in a flower shop, for instance. It has ambience, plenty of sharp objects and all sorts of leads we could follow. Out here? We'd have more luck finding a needle in a haystack," he replied. "Lanie? What've we got?" Kate asked as they gazed down at the remains. Castle could tell that it had been there for a while and listened as the medical examiner answered, "Victim is a white female, about twenty years old. There's no ID on the body. She was found at 8:15 this morning by Mister Velasquez over there when she tumbled out of this debris as he was moving it with his forklift."

"I'm guessing that he doesn't know her," Richard observed. "Score one for Castle. I put the time of death as less than a day ago, although given the decomposition caused by the environment I won't be able to be more accurate until I get her down to the lab," Lanie noted. "Alright, let's see who had access to this area," Beckett stated, turning towards Velasquez who was being interviewed by Ryan and Esposito. "You're not serious, right? It's a landfill. There aren't any security cameras out here, or armed guards. I'm surprised they have equipment which was made in this century," he remarked. "Focus on the case, Castle," Kate snapped as they reached the trio. "Julio Velasquez, this is Detective Kate Beckett," Esposito proclaimed. "Who has access to this area?" she wondered. "We have twenty-seven employees who work this area. We all have keys to the site and the machinery," the worker declared. "Have you ever seen the victim before today?" Castle asked. "No, señor," the witness told them. "Did you notice anything unusual this morning?" the Detective inquired.

"I got up this morning, caught the subway to work like usual and went to the garage to start my shift. The forklift was low on fuel so I went to get some more," Velasquez informed them. "Does that happen a lot?" he asked. "Every now and then. These machines, they run all day long and into the night. I must have to get more at least twice a day," Julio responded. "What about anyone unusual in the area? The killer could have been trying to get a feel for your security measures recently," Beckett suggested. "I do not know. The station is only a few blocks from here and once I am at work, I pay attention to nothing else until the end of the day," the worker told them. "I don't suppose there's any way to tell where that trash came from," Richard put in. "Oh yes, that I can tell you!" Velasquez exclaimed. "You can?" Kate countered. "Si! That section, it is used by Roquefort Construction. Their trucks come in all week long and dump there," Julio explained. Castle glanced at Beckett, knowing that the company would be their next line of investigation.

"Roquefort Construction, owned by one James Winthrop; aged thirty. He's got priors for assault, fraud and illegal dumping. There are at least a dozen complaints filed with city hall over the past year, citing everything from drunk and disorderly conduct by his workers to damage to this property he was working on. We've got uniforms bringing him in now," Ryan reported, laying the folder on the desk and revealing the face of a rather disreputable black man with an old scar above his left eye. "Sounds like a stand-up citizen. I'm surprised he hasn't been given the key to the city," Castle observed. "Are you still sore about being passed up for your part in stopping those terrorists?" Beckett wondered. "No. Yes. Well, maybe not so much. I mean, you think they could have at least given me credit," he remarked. "Beckett. Winthrop is here," Esposito reported and Richard rose from his chair and followed Kate into the interview room.

"James, I'm Detective Kate Beckett. We were hoping that you could help us identify a woman who was found with the debris your company leaves at the landfill," she proclaimed, taking a seat and passing the photos to him. "Yeah, I know her. That's one of the realtors who provides me with business. Her name's Marsha Simmons," Winthrop answered. "What sort of business did she give you?" he wondered. "There'd been a lot on the market, where something would need to be torn down. We'd go in and get the job done fast, so she could get top dollar from her clients. Who did this to her?" James inquired. "That's what we're trying to find out. What was the name of her company? How can we get in touch with them?" the Detective inquired.

"This is the place?" Castle wondered, admiring the sharp décor of the office they were perusing. "I called them an hour ago. They've definitely got a Marsha Simmons on the payroll," Beckett told him. "Seems rather pricey. That is, for a lady dressed like our victim. She didn't strike me as the up-and-coming type from her outfit. More of the barely scraping by sort, if you know what I mean," he observed. Ahead, the smiling receptionist waited and stated, "Welcome to Twining Realty. How can I help you today?" "We're here to see Rachel Pulaski. Detective Beckett, NYPD," Kate replied, showing her badge. "Yes, we've been expecting you. Go right in," the woman stated, gesturing to the door to her left. "This place reminds me of whenever I bought my apartment. I still say they got the better end of the deal," Richard commented as they went thru the doors and entered the waiting room.

"Well, hopefully her employers will be able to give us something more to go on. So far all we've got is a name and since it wasn't in our database; we have nothing to go on but dead ends," Beckett said. "Well at least one thing hasn't changed," he noted, pointing to the table, "I don't see a single magazine that was printed in the last decade." Then the doors opened and a woman walked in and said, "I'm Rachel Pulaski. I understand you're here to talk about Marsha?" "Excuse me, but you two are related; aren't you?' Castle put in. Rachel sighed and removed the glasses she'd been wearing until then as she responded, "Most people don't notice right away. We're twins."

"Twining Realty. I'm guessing you were partners. How come you're in the office and she's just getting by?" Castle asked. "Marsha thought that money would change her somehow. Her life had never been easy. Not since she was given up for adoption," Rachel stated. "When did the two of you meet?" Kate wondered. "About three years ago. I'd already made my name as a realtor and she showed up out the blue, looking for any relatives. Our parents had never told me about her. The only way she knew was by getting a court order for her adoption papers. I insisted that she go to work for me, but Marsha was stubborn. She thought being rich had made me conceited and didn't want the same thing to happen to her. That's why my sister was so poor. She refused my help," Pulaski proclaimed. "Do you have any idea how her body might have ended up in the debris dumped at the landfill by Roquefort Construction?" he inquired. "I can't think of anything. I'm sorry," the realtor asserted.

"We're going to need her personal information. Where she lived, who she dealt with on and off the job. Anything could be significant," Beckett maintained. "Of course. I'll cooperate in every way," Rachel told them, rising and moving into the other room. "You know, with the preponderance of identical twins in the world; I'm surprised that we haven't run into more of them," Castle pointed out. "That's all you've got? Normally you'd have run off half a dozen wild theories by now," she remarked. "Well, let's see. Maybe Rachel and Marsha aren't twins. Perhaps Marsha was from an alternate universe and was traveling from one reality to the next in order to recruit her doppelgangers for a war against cosmic forces bent on destroying reality as we know it," Richard suggested. "Where do you get these ideas?" Kate inquired. "Hey, it worked for the Fantastic Four," he countered.

"Let's just focus on the facts. When Doctor Doom shows up, then I might consider your idea," she retorted. Rachel came back in holding a file and passed it over to them saying, "This is all we have on my sister, Detective." "When was the last time you spoke with her?" Beckett wondered. "Actually, she left a message on my machine the day before yesterday. I kept a copy because it sounded like she was in trouble, but I couldn't get her to answer any of my calls afterward. When I told the police, they said they would need more information before anything could be done," Pulaski declared, clearly fighting back tears. "We're going to need that recording. Also, did your sister keep any records at home? A notebook or computer?" Kate asked. "I'm not sure. But if they were there, she probably removed them," the realtor reported. "Why is that?" Castle shot back. "She'd just moved out and it was scheduled for demolition the other day. With the speed her contacts have, they have probably already finished the job," Rachel told them. "Marsha's body was found with construction debris. Maybe her killer left her remains in the house, knowing it was about to be torn apart and hoped that the evidence would either be buried or lost as a result," Richard suggested. "I guess there's only one way we'll find out which. Head over there and take a look," Beckett decided. "Just for the record, if this breaks the case; let Captain Gates know it was my idea," he requested.

"You know I don't even Dorothy took this much of her house with her on her trip to Oz," Castle commented, looking about at the slab where Marsha Simmons' house had been. "Yeah, well; it wasn't a bad idea. But any proof that Marsha was here before she died was probably eliminated," Beckett replied. "Sure you don't want to call in CSU and have them do a sweep of the place?" he wondered. "Until we have a crime scene, there's nothing for them to investigate. I doubt the Captain would want to waste our time chasing down blind alleys," she responded. "Still, you have to admit it does make sense. Whoever killed our victim was almost certainly someone close to her. We don't even know whether she had a man in her life yet," Richard pointed out.

"Well, I don't see any blood. And signs of a struggle would have been erased along with the body," Kate observed. "So I guess all that's left to do is track down the people who did the work for her and find out when this place was razed," Castle said, turning around; then stopping in his tracks. "What is it?" his companion inquired. "These boards… they've been replaced recently. You can see that the wear patterns are different than the others. Why would someone go to that much effort for a house which won't be here for much longer?" he asked. In reply, she pulled out gloves and passed them to him. Together, they heaved at the wood; eventually pulling it out to see what was underneath. "I don't believe it," Beckett breathed once they'd succeeded. "I guess Marsha Simmons wasn't the only body buried here," Castle remarked, wondering if the remains they'd found had any connection to the death they were investigating.


	2. Chapter 2

II

"Two bodies, no crime scene and no murder weapon. If I didn't know any better, I'd say we were watching an episode of Columbo," Castle remarked, setting down the coffee he'd brought and taking his seat. "Didn't they always show who the murderer was at the beginning of the episode?" Beckett inquired. "Yeah. I always thought that kind of took all the fun out of it. What good is a mystery when the answers are spelled out for you in black and white?" he wondered. "Esposito, where are we on her background check?" Kate asked. "Just got it in. She got a clean record. Everything's normal except for one detail," Javier told them. "Wait, don't tell me! Her body was made of antimatter," Richard interjected. "Wouldn't that have vaporized half the city?" the Detective countered. "Marsha Simmons lives in Jersey and get this. She's the only daughter of Damian and Cora Simmons," Esposito commented.

"Well, we already know she was adopted. Makes sense that her records wouldn't reflect her true identity," Castle noted. "That's not the weird part. We've contacted the family and they're heading over right now. According to them, they are the ones who gave up her sister for adoption to Paul and Leslie Pulaski," Javier reported. "Have you got in touch with them also? They're probably Rachel's foster parents," Beckett stated. "That won't be possible. The couple died five years ago, within a few months of each other. And get this. Paul's body was stolen from the funeral home before his ceremony and never recovered," their colleague proclaimed. "Were there any leads on that?" Kate wondered. "The officers in charge came up empty. Someone driving a hearse came to the site to pick up Mister Pulaski, only they never made it to the cemetery. Turns out, the car had been hotwired and was left in an alley. They swept for prints, DNA and came up empty. Whoever was responsible knew what they were doing," Esposito replied.

"Where's Lanie on our two victims?" the Detective asked. "Last I heard, she was just about done with Miss Simmons. In the meantime, she's run our second stiff against dental records. Should have a result later this afternoon," Javier answered. "Alright, go back to the funeral home and see if you can come up with any leads. It can't be a coincidence that Marsha lived in the house where that body was hidden," Beckett directed. "On it," the officer stated and headed off. "You know, it's possible that Marsha found out about the secret lying beneath her feet and whoever put it there killed her to cover it up," Castle suggested. "If that's the case, why was her body left inside? When the house was destroyed, that would only lead us back to the second victim," she retorted. "Perhaps we're going about this all wrong. What if Marsha was the murderer and was trying to hide it by having the site destroyed. Someone found out and killed her for it," he asserted. "Why not turn her in? There's no statute of limitations on murder," Kate reminded him. "Beckett, the family's here," Ryan reported, gesturing to the lounge. Richard could tell that the couple was clearly distraught by the news and wondered how long it would be before they would have answers for them.

"We're sorry for your loss," Beckett began, taking a seat across from them. "How long had it been since you heard from Marsha?" Castle asked. "Three weeks. She called us about once a month, to let us know how things were going. Marsha was so happy here. She'd found something we thought had been lost a long time ago," Damian replied. "Rachel. She told us that it was Marsha who'd been given up from adoption," Kate observed. "When they were born, we didn't have the money to take care of them both. I'd met Leslie Pulaski on the job and she was always talking about how long she and her husband had been trying to have a child, without success. It seemed like the perfect opportunity. Rachel would have a home and we wouldn't have to worry about her future," Cora said, weeping for a moment before regaining her composure.

"I take it that things didn't turn out as planned," he remarked. "Paul made it big as a realtor a few years later. He moved, cut off all ties with us. He didn't want anything to remind him of the way things used to be. The first time we knew where they'd ended up was when Marsha located Rachel," Damian told them. "Do you have any idea why Rachel thought Paul and Leslie were her parents?" Beckett wondered. "She was legally adopted about a year after they started taking care of her. I doubt her folks ever told her the truth. Paul even made her executor of his will," Cora answered. "Had Marsha reported anything unusual lately? Strange phone calls, unwanted visitors; something out of the ordinary?" Richard inquired. "No, nothing like that. She was always talking about the lifestyle Rachel led, how it made her distant. Marsha was determined not to let success change her also," Damian told them.

"What I don't get is the duplicity of the Pulaski family. How could they go all this time without Rachel suspecting a thing?" Castle remarked. "Adoption is a tricky business. They probably didn't want to lose her," Beckett told him. "Beckett, we just got the dental records for your second victim and you're not going to believe who it is," Ryan said as he approached. "Paul Pulaski," she guessed. Kevin looked surprised for a moment and then said, "Yeah, how'd you know?" "His body went missing and now we've found a corpse in the home of his adopted daughter's sister. I'd have been surprised if it wasn't him," Kate commented. "So, a nefarious dealer in cadavers raids a local funeral home; searching for his latest find. He comes across Paul, a man cut down shortly after his wife died and whisks him away to his secret lair; performing top-secret experiments before finally laying him to rest. Two years later, Marsha comes to town; determined to find her sister and just so happens to come into possession of the house where Paul is hidden. Our thief knows that its only a matter of time before she uncovers him, especially once it is scheduled for demolition and attempts to kill two birds with one stone," Castle summarized.

"It seems like a stretch of the imagination to believe Marsha got that house by accident. Maybe she was looking for him," the Detective countered. "Why would she care what happened to Paul? They're not related and his death took place two years before she came to town," he shot back. "Then you explain it," she challenged. "Maybe Rachel was right and it was Marsha who had been given up for adoption. It could be that keeping quiet about it was part of the agreement the Simmons' made with the Pulaskis. So when Marsha finds out, she comes to find her real family and ends up targeted by the person who hid her father's body," Richard proclaimed. "Which would explain why she was in the house. She hadn't found it yet and was looking for him when whoever planted Paul there showed up and got rid of her, for good," Beckett declared. "So how do we know who's right?" Castle wondered. "We get a court order and have them release the records," his partner answered.

"That's it? No creeping thru dimly lit halls to pry open a hidden vault and uncover secrets no man was meant to know?" he retorted. "In real life, we could get arrested for that sort of thing," Kate explained. Just then, her phone rang and she said, "Beckett. I see. What about the second victim? Alright, call me if you get anything else." "Lanie?" Richard guessed. "Marsha Simmons died from blunt force trauma. A blow to the back of the head, probably as a result of a fall. There were definite signs of a struggle, but the damage done to her makes it hard to tell for sure. She puts time of death between two and five on Tuesday evening," Beckett answered. "When was that call Rachel received?" he asked. "3:20 P.M. Which means she was probably killed a little while after. Ryan, where are we on the sister's alibi?" the Detective inquired. "I just got off the phone with her firm. They've got her clocking in at 3:02 and she stayed until after 6," Kevin answered. "That building's halfway across town from the house. If Marsha was killed and left there, Rachel couldn't have been involved without being in two places at the same time," Castle pointed out. "Any luck on Marsha's phone records?" Beckett wondered.

"She didn't have a house phone. All of her business was conducted by a cell. I've got her number from the records from her job and according to the provider, that call at 3:20 was the last one she made," Ryan answered. "Any chance we might be able to find it?" he asked. "After this much time, the battery's probably run out. If it was carted away along with the body we'd have a better chance of finding Jimmy Hoffa," the officer declared. "What about her other calls?" Kate inquired. "Most of them are clients, her family and the firm. But there's one number which doesn't fit. It belongs to a local PI, Morgan Lutz. We're trying to track him down now," Kevin told them. "That's probably how she found Rachel," Richard observed. "What about known associates?" the Detective asked. "According to her coworkers, Marsha was something of a loner. Didn't go out for brunch or date anybody they knew about. The only time they saw her was at the office. Rachel seems to be her only friend," Ryan reported.

"Not hard to understand. Until three years ago, she was a small-town girl. Then she moves to the city and lands a job with her long-lost sister's firm. She might have a hard time adjusting, especially if she didn't approve of Rachel's behavior," Castle put in. "What about the sister? Anything that might give her a motive for either of our victims?" Beckett wondered. "Rachel Pulaski has a strong business, a fiancé and several truckloads of cash in the bank. When Paul died, she was named his heir and she inherited something on the order of two million dollars," Kevin told them. "That's a massive chunk of change. More than enough to bribe someone to steal your father's body and hide it where nobody would ever look," he remarked. "Why steal it in the first place, though? It doesn't make any sense," Kate observed.

"You're telling me that you found my father. After all this time?" Rachel exclaimed. "He was buried under the house your sister was living in. We were wondering if you had any idea how he got there," Beckett said. "No, why would I? You don't think I had anything to do with that?" Pulaski countered. "It just seems odd that his body was stolen after you inherited his fortune. Especially since Marsha may have been killed to keep his location a secret," Castle pointed out. "Well, I didn't have knowledge he'd been taken until the funeral. I've never felt so mortified in my life. Here I was, trying to honor the man who raised me and those incompetent fools lose him," Rachel complained. "We spoke with the Simmons'. They told us that they had given you up for adoption," Kate went on.

"They must be mistaken. I've seen my birth certificate. Paul and Leslie were my parents," Pulaski objected. "With their money, it would have been possible to get the files legally altered. If they were cutting all ties to your real parents, they might not have wanted you to find out about them," Richard explained. "Why would they hide that from me? I find your story hard to believe," Rachel maintained. "Did Marsha give any indication that she was interested in your parents?" the Detective asked. "Not really. You have to remember that both of them were dead before she showed up," Pulaski answered. "Do know how Paul died?" Castle inquired. "The doctors told me it was heart failure," the realtor replied. Just then, Kate's phone rang and she said, "Beckett. Really. Thank you, Lanie." Hanging up, Beckett declared, "That was the coroner. Turns out, your father was murdered."


	3. Chapter 3

III

"He was killed by trained assassins working for the mirror universe!" Castle exclaimed as they examined what was left of Paul Pulaski. "Seriously? Do have a list of these or something?" Beckett countered as they approached the door to the morgue. "I'll have you know it is safely tucked away inside my copy of The Bourne Identity," he countered. "Figures," she observed as they stepped inside. "It's about time you two got here. I'll have you know that I have other things to do than sit around in a cold room freezing to death while you run around creation," Lanie remarked. "Would that include a date with Detective Esposito?" Richard teased. "Maybe," the coroner admitted. "You said he was murdered, Lanie. I'm guessing there's a reason you didn't want to tell me over the phone," Kate remarked.

"When I called you, I didn't know how he died; just that it wasn't a heart attack. His arteries were in pristine condition. There's no way he died of natural causes," the medical examiner stated. "Then what killed him?" the Detective wondered. "Maybe his body was shifted into another dimension and he couldn't survive the transition," Castle remarked, which caused his partner to roll her eyes. "There are none of the usual signs of foul play. I'm running a tox screen now to see if that can give us any clues. At the moment, your guess is as good as mine," Lanie told them. "Let me know what you find," Beckett directed as they left the room. "What next?" he wondered. "Paul Pulaski was murdered. I'd like to find out why," she answered.

"What do we know about Paul?" Beckett inquired. "He was married to his wife for twenty years and owned the company which is now controlled by his daughter. No other children or living relatives for him or his wife. However, there is one thing that struck me as a bit iffy," Esposito told them. Castle crossed his fingers and said, "All of his old photos show him wearing a beard?" "Nope. As far as I can tell, he didn't exist before his marriage. Every time I try to track down anything before that, all I come up with is a brick wall. Same thing for his wife," Javier reported. "Any idea why?" Kate asked. "Given how thoroughly empty the records are, my guess would be that he changed his identity," their colleague suggested. "That doesn't happen very often. Maybe they were in witness protection," the Detective observed. "That was what I thought too. But the FBI claims that they've never heard of them and since they're both dead, I can't think of a reason why they would still be keeping it under wraps," Esposito declared.

"Perhaps they stumbled across the secret files which reveal who killed JFK," Richard suggested. "Keep digging, Esposito. I've got the feeling that the Pulaskis were hiding something else. Chances are once we learn what, we'll be able to discover who killed Paul," Beckett directed. "You know, those records begin right after Rachel and Marsha would've been born. Don't you think it's a little weird that the Simmons gave their daughter to people with so much to hide?" Castle commented. "If they were desperate enough, it might not have mattered," she told him. "I don't know. If I had been in that position, I wouldn't want to give up Alexis to anyone I didn't completely trust. And nothing says suspicious like a gaping hole in their files," he said. "Come on, Castle. You'd sell everything you had before you let that happen," Beckett retorted. "You're probably right. What about you?" Richard wondered.

"I don't have any kids," Kate reminded him. "What if you did?" Castle asked. "I guess I'd want what was best, just like anybody else," the Detective told him. "I bet you would be an awesome mom," the writer remarked. "Yeah, well if I'll be sure to let you know if that happens," she stated, moving to the board where they'd set up the photos of their victims along with the individuals they'd already contacted during their investigation. "What are you thinking?" he wondered. "That it's time for a break. We've been at this all day and have gotten nowhere fast. It'll take a while to confirm the alibis for the interested parties and the lab to tell us how Paul died. Go home, get some rest and come back tomorrow to do it all over again," Beckett proclaimed.

"I hope not. Two murders in one day is more than enough for me," Castle commented. "Yeah, well; there are unfortunately a lot more where they came from," Kate remarked ruefully. "And in the meantime, there's no point running around in circles," Richard concluded, rising and moving to the elevator. He saw that his partner continued to stare at the board for a minute, glancing only momentarily in his direction as the doors closed. It was clear that both of them would be spending some sleepless hours mulling over the evidence which had already presented itself in order to make some sense out of the madness.

As he entered his apartment, Castle noted an object hurling in his direction and ducked to avoid the projectile even as he called out, "Practicing method acting again, mother?" "I'll have you know that when it come to the stage, accuracy can mean the difference between a ending a scene to rounds of applause or being carted off in an ambulance," Martha countered, retrieving the object which he saw was a small bag of the sort normally used for stress balls. "I take it that Alexis decided not to assist you this time," Richard noted. "She's in her room, talking with Ashley. Like most girls her age in love, your daughter is practically glued to the phone," his mother replied. "So, what's with the target practice?" Castle wondered.

"As you know, I'm opening a school for aspiring talents and part of the curriculum is the proper handling of props onstage. Naturally, I want to make certain I'm still in top form myself before I start teaching someone else," she told him. "You never cease to amaze me," the writer proclaimed. "And how was your day? Filled with excitement and intrigue, no doubt?" Martha remarked. "As it happens, yes. I don't think I've run across a group of people with so many secrets. Two families, each with one daughter and both claiming to be the parents of the pair. We're going thru the records right now to find out who's telling the truth," he proclaimed. "That's the problem with people these days. Don't know when to tell the truth or who to share it with. If you can't trust your own children, then who can you rely on?" his mother asked. Richard got a faraway look in his eye and stated, "Nobody."

"Good morning, Detective," Castle declared, setting down the coffee he was carrying and taking his seat across from his partner. "You seem rather chipper this morning. Get some sleep after all?" Beckett inquired. "As much as usual. I was thinking about what we know about the Pulaskis and Simmons'. They obviously knew one another, since each them got one of the twins. And neither couple told anybody the truth until years later. It occurred to me that they might not have been lying either," he proclaimed. "What do you mean?" she wondered. "It's just a theory, but how much time would it take to run paternity tests on the Simmons'?" he asked.

"Without their consent, we'd need a court order. Right now, I don't have probable cause to suspect them for either death since they live so far away and had little involvement with anyone in the area," Kate told him. "I've got a feeling that when we do, we'll find that everything isn't quite what it seems," Castle asserted. "Care to let the rest of us on your idea?" Beckett demanded. "And miss the fun when I say 'And that's why you killed them?' Have you forgotten that I'm still trying to win points with Captain Gates?' the writer shot back. "Ryan, where are we on that PI Marsha hired?" the Detective wondered. "We just picked him up an hour ago. He was in Atlantic City, contributing to the local economy," Kevin responded. "Let me know when he gets here. Whatever Marsha was looking for, that might have gotten her killed," Beckett said. "Call me crazy, but I don't think it was her sister," Richard asserted.

"Mister Lutz, what was the nature of the work you were hired to do for Marsha Simmons?" Kate demanded. "She wanted me to dig up dirt on someone. To see if they were who she thought. It wasn't easy, let me tell you. That job cost a pretty penny," the private investigator said. "I noticed that you avoided the question. If you're worrying about confidentially, let me tell you two things. First, there is no such privilege between a client and someone in your profession. And second, Marsha Simmons is dead," Castle explained. "You don't say? If that don't beat all. And just after I found out who her old man was, too," Lutz observed.

"You located her father? Then it wasn't Damian Simmons," Beckett reasoned. "No way. I ran a test on that guy first thing. He's about as related to her as I am," Morgan said. "Was it Paul Pulaski?" Richard guessed. "What did you do, subpoena my files? Yeah, that's the guy. Too bad he's dead. If Paul had known about her when he was alive, things might've have been different," the investigator proclaimed. "How did she take the news?" the Detective wondered. "About like you'd expect. She said, 'Why'd they do this to me? How could they leave me with nothing?' Stuff like that," Lutz related. "When was the last time you spoke with her?" he asked. "Let's see now… three weeks ago. And I got the canceled checks to prove I was paid in full. She dotted her I's and crossed her t's, that's for sure. A very thorough woman, I don't think she left a stone unturned in her life," Morgan asserted. "In the course of your investigation, did you turn up anything which might explain what happened to Paul?" Beckett inquired.

"Not so much as peep. Why do you ask?" the investigator replied. "His body was found beneath the house Marsha was living in," Castle told him. "I don't see how that could be possible. When I was dealing with her, Miss Simmons lived in an apartment. The only thing below her was another room," Lutz stated. "Do you have the address?" Beckett asked. Morgan took a moment to dig thru his pockets before coming up with a small notebook that he flipped thru for a while before nodding and passing it over to them. "That's a rather pricey neighborhood. I though Marsha wasn't very interested in the things wealth had to offer," he put in. "Not if you mean clothes, jewelry or cars. But finding a spot to live ain't what it used to be. I always suspected that she got that job with her sister just so she could afford to stay here," the investigator maintained.

"So you weren't aware that she had moved out," Richard commented. "I just told you that we hadn't seen each other for a while. Almost makes a guy think she blamed me for learning what I did," Lutz groused. "Well, everything about Marsha's life turned out to be a lie. She was raised by strangers and had a twin sister who'd been separated from her at birth. That's bound to cause all sorts of psychological trauma," Castle noted. "Yeah, I guess you're right. It's a good thing Rachel wasn't the only family she still had," Morgan interjected. "What are you talking about? Paul and Leslie Pulaski were both dead," Beckett objected. "Oh, this is rich. You don't know?" the investigator observed. "Why don't you fill us in?" he suggested. "Paul was her father. But Leslie wasn't her mother. Cora was," the investigator concluded.


	4. Chapter 4

IV

"Every time we look at this case, the lives of these people just keep getting more convoluted," Castle proclaimed. "Why do you think the Simmons' lied to us?" Beckett countered. "Blackmail is out since the Pulaskis are dead. Maybe their memories were erased by flashing red lights?" he suggested. "Doubtful. They've been keeping this hidden for a long time and I've got a feeling that it's connected with our victims," Kate explained. "Yes, but which one? Alright, let's suppose that Paul was left out of the loop on this as well. Some time in the past, he and Cora are together. She gets pregnant, but Paul doesn't know he's the father. Whenever Cora learns that she's going to have twins, there's a problem. There isn't enough money to support them both. That's why the Simmons' were willing to trust the Pulaskis with Rachel. Cora felt it was only fitting for Paul to raise his own child. But what if he found out?" Richard suggested.

"Why would he even suspect such a thing? We know that the two families hadn't seen one another in years," she objected. "Maybe Cora started to feel guilty. Or Damian realized that the timing of the birth was off. One thing leads to another and suddenly the two couples find themselves in the midst of a scandal that could lead to two costly divorces. Only Paul and Leslie die, then his body is stolen. Now the only proof Damian has is the fact that Marsha isn't his daughter. Without the Pulaskis, he'd never be able to reach a settlement with Cora that was to his advantage," Castle maintained. "And naturally, they wouldn't want to open old wounds. But that still doesn't tell us who might have wanted to eliminate Paul," Beckett remarked. "Whenever I'm writing, I often have my characters look to see who would benefit from the deaths. In this case, the only living person I can see who might have a reason to get rid of Paul is Cora," he told her.

"It's still a stretch. Esposito, any luck turning up information on the Pulaskis?" Kate called out. "Still dry," Javier said. "Alright, let's start looking into Damian and Cora Simmons. See if anything in their records shows just when and where they crossed paths with Paul and Leslie. With some hard work, we might be able to find out what they're trying so hard to hide," the Detective decided. At that moment, her phone rang and she picked it up and said, "Beckett. Okay, we'll be right down." "I'm guessing that the tox screen on Paul Pulaski came back," Richard remarked. "I don't know, she wouldn't say. I guess you'll just have to tag along and learn the hard way," his partner shot back. "Do you get some kind of pleasure out of making me suffer?" the writer wondered.

"That's for me to know and you to find out," she told him as they stepped into the elevator. "I intend to. And I'm going to make another prediction. When we get there, not only will Paul have died as the result of some insidious toxin but that will also lead us to his killer and the person who murdered his daughter," Castle maintained. "I'll take that bet. Fifty to the winner?" Beckett suggested. "Why, Detective; I was under the impression that you disapproved of this sort of behavior. And what would Captain Gates think?" he remarked. "I'm willing to wager that she'd put money down on my side," Kate asserted.

"He died of a heart attack," Lanie reported. "I thought you said his arteries were clean," Castle pointed out. "They were. According to the tox screen, he was injected with a high dose of epinephrine. He was on Beta-blockers at the time. The interaction of the two drugs sent his blood pressure thru the roof. That's what killed him," the coroner stated. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but not everyone would know something like that about him. It's a pretty clever way to commit murder, if you think about it. Give somebody a drug that's available to anyone with a severe allergy, knowing that the only way it will ever be found is if an autopsy is performed; then steal his remains," Richard asserted.

"What are the odds that Marsha found out the truth and went looking for her father?" Kate wondered. "But if that's the case, why didn't her killer move Paul's body?" the writer objected. "We're missing something here. Whoever killed Paul had to be close to him. A friend, neighbor or someone he worked with. Perhaps after Leslie died, he went looking for another wife," she suggested. "And so the aging Mister Pulaski finds comfort in the arms of another woman. Only to find she's in fact a black widow, out to kill him and collect his fortune. There's only one problem with that. Rachel inherited everything," Castle noted. "Unless she was the one who killed her father," Beckett countered. "What's her motive?" he shot back. "I don't know yet, but I'll think of something. In the meantime, we need to run down everything that happened in Paul Pulaski's life before he died. Someone might've noticed something strange. If we can pin down what was going on in his life, then maybe that will put us one step closer to the answers," Kate proclaimed.

"Poisoned? With some off-the-counter drug sold in about every store in this city?" Gates exclaimed. "Yes, sir. We believe that whoever killed Paul Pulaski is also responsible for the theft of his body and probably the murder of Marsha Simmons," Beckett told her. "I suppose you have some solids leads in her case then," the Captain stated. "Well, we know that she'd learned about the lies her parents had been telling her. That's why she was in the city to begin with. It's possible her investigation is what caused her to cross paths with our killer," Castle declared. "Who then leaves the body in the house where his other victim is hidden?" Gates observed. "I'll admit that our theory has some holes…" Kate began. "That's putting it mildly," the Captain interjected. "…but we're working to fill them in. Our killer may not have known the house was going to be demolished, since that was Marsha's idea," the Detective concluded.

"Do you even know how she found the place to begin with?" Gates inquired. "Not yet. But we do know she hadn't lived there for long. That makes me think that Miss Simmons somehow knew where her late father had been laid to rest, at least in general. She might not have discovered its precise location at the time of her death," the writer asserted. "What about the construction company? Do you think they're involved somehow?" the Captain asked. "We haven't eliminated them yet, but it seems unlikely that they would've gone thru with the demolition considering what's happened as a result," Beckett insisted. "And we already know that Rachel was at work at the time. If she had anything to do with her father's death, there's no way Miss Pulaski would have let them proceed with the operation," Richard added.

"Well, it sounds like you've spent the last two days chasing your own tails. First you run one way and then the other. Can't you two settle on one line of investigation and stick with it? I have enough headaches as it is," Gates told them. "We're looking into people associated with Paul Pulaski. Hopefully, we'll come up with something," Kate replied. "And if you don't? Detective, that body has been laying there for five years. Any bread crumbs that might've been left behind by the person responsible have almost certainly been blown away by now," the Captain warned. "One of the principles I work into my stories is that there is no such thing as a perfect murder. In every case, the killer has overlooked some detail which when it is uncovered; reveals their identity to my characters. The trick is knowing that what you're examining is important rather than superficial," Castle put in. "Well, so far everything I've seen doesn't appear to have been productive. The next time we talk; I expect some news on at least one of these cases, Detective," Gates declared. "We'll do our best, sir," his partner promised. "See that you do," the Captain declared, gesturing for them to leave.

As they walked out, Richard said, "That went well." "Compared to what? Roasting over an open fire?' Kate retorted as they sat down. Just then, Esposito came up and reported, "Beckett, I've got the background check on the Simmons' family. You were right. There was something missing on their side too. Only this time, it was the wife." "Popped out of nowhere just before the twins were born," the writer said. "Hit it right on the nose. Based on the report we got from Mister Lutz we were able to get the adoption papers. Apparently, Leslie was Paul's second wife. Cora was his first," Javier went on. "Does the file say why they got divorced?" Beckett wondered. "It might have, but the lawyer had portions of it removed. I spent half the morning on the phone with him, but he refuses to come down here and threatened to sue if we tried to bring him in," Esposito responded. "Sounds like a cheerful type. Do you suppose he was born with a heart three sizes too small?" Richard inquired. "I was under the impression that was a job requirement. Did you get an address?" Kate asked.

Javier nodded and passed over a slip of paper. "Ryan, where are we on financials?" his partner wondered. "Just got them in. Both Rachel and Marsha are clean, at least for the past three years. Before that, Rachel was a little more creative with her finances. She was investigated for taking money under the table five times, but never convicted. I get the impression that she cleaned up her act either because she didn't want her sister to get in trouble or thought it wouldn't be possible to hide the truth about her shady practices from Marsha," Kevin told them. "What about Roquefort Construction? Have we verified their alibis?" she demanded. "Down to the last man. And the Simmons' were at a party near their house with at least two dozen other people on the day of our latest murder. I ran the employees of Twining Realty as well. Nothing there either," Ryan stated.

"Okay, start going thru her clients. And get some background on that house she was in. Find out who's owned it over the past five years. One of those people might be our killer," Beckett proclaimed. "Maybe Captain Gates was right. Instead of trying to find all the facts in both cases, we should focus on one," Castle suggested. "Marsha is more recent. The evidence is her case is still warm. But I get the impression that wasn't what you had in mind," Kate observed. "I think we both agree that Paul Pulaski is the key to this whole investigation. Five years ago, someone gave him a lethal injection. The real question is, why would they think it was necessary to dispose of the body?" Richard inquired. "Alright, I'll bite. What's your theory?" she asked. He paused, then declared, "I was hoping you had one."

"Hey, you're the writer. Normally, you'd be blaming organ harvesters and space aliens or something. If we don't have any leads to follow, then we might as well let Paul rest in peace," his partner told him. "Are you sure you could live with that? Knowing that the perpetrator is getting off scot-free? Especially since we might never be able to track down whoever bumped off Marsha if we back down?" Castle demanded. "I guess not, but it's like the Captain said. Paul has waited for justice this long. A few more days won't hurt," Beckett observed. "If you knew who was behind the death of your mother, how long would you wait before pursuing the man responsible?" he shot back. Kate rose to her feet, leaning forward to glare at him as she snapped, "I thought you wanted me to leave that alone, Castle." "You're right, I'm sorry… but you have to admit that I have a point. For the people who are close to Paul, like Rachel; his death has dramatically altered their lives. And his killer is almost certainly connected with Marsha's death. We can't let it rest, not if it brings them to justice," Richard proclaimed and his partner nodded in agreement. One way or another, neither of them was about to give up on these cases without a fight.


	5. Chapter 5

V

"I'm surprised that they don't have gold-plated steps," Castle observed as they entered the building which housed the firm for the Pulaskis' lawyer. "Don't you think their clients would find that a little pretentious?" Beckett countered. "People don't expect attorneys to act like them. They're used to thinking of them as men and women in suits who say 'No comment' and get their clients off without reflecting on the time and energy it takes to get into the profession in the first place. Between getting their degree, passing the bar and finding enough clients to make it all worth your while; the average lawyer has to chase ambulances just to make ends meet," Richard told her. "Be that as it may, all I'm concerned about right now is getting his cooperation. Hopefully, Mister Fugleman will be a little more respectful in person," Kate observed.

"Not H.R. 'Home Wrecker' Fugleman?" he wondered. "You know him?" she observed. "He's the crème de la crème when it comes to divorce attorneys. I tried to get him for my last breakup but his prices were a little out of my league," Castle replied. "I guess that means it's more likely that one of the Pulaskis had guessed who the twins' parents were and was looking for a way out," Beckett remarked. "Fugleman is notorious. He will wring the last cent out of a cheating spouse and make you happy you hired him. If he's involved, I'd be willing to wager that things were getting rather rocky between Paul and Leslie," Richard stated. "Double or nothing?" she challenged and he shot back, "You're on."

"Well, it's not every day that I receive a visit from the NYPD. I'll have you know that I'm sticking by what I told that Esparto character," Fugleman proclaimed, steepling his fingers. "That's would be Detective Javier Esposito. He's helping us with our investigation. We were hoping that you could give us some insight on the relationship between Paul Pulaski and Cora Simmons," Beckett requested. "So, you've already found out that much. I suppose that snake Lutz informed you?" the lawyer guessed. "We're just trying to follow any leads," Kate assured him. "We presume that Paul was unaware of Cora's pregnancy when they got divorced and were hoping you could tell us why the couple separated," Castle added. "The usual reasons. The love was gone and he wanted someone new and exciting. This was long before I knew them, you understand. But I have a copy of the file, if you'd like to read it," the attorney offered. "So who handled the original case?" the Detective wondered.

Fugleman frowned, then rose and went over to his desk and began typing on his computer. "Let's see here… ah, there we go. Al Iyndiri," the lawyer told them. "Do you think you can put us in touch with him?" Richard commented. "I'd like to, but Al went out of the business about five years ago; just before I took over the Pulaskis' affairs. I think he's still in town, but your guess about what he's been doing is as good as mine. Then just my luck, Paul and Leslie go and die on me within a month of one another," the attorney remarked. "What did they secure your services for?" Beckett inquired. "To draw up their wills. I finished the job for Leslie, but Paul never went thru with his psychological exam before he passed away," Fugleman reported. "Can you tell us what were the terms of these documents?" Castle asked. "Paul never brought his back. I had to go by the records the Pulaskis had already given me, which made Rachel the sole heir," the lawyer stated.

"Can you provide us with any information regarding Al Iyndiri? It may be crucial to our investigation," Kate declared. "I'll do what I can. Al wasn't exactly what you'd call the most respectable of citizens. He tended to be a little loose with his dough and had a fondness for the tables. I've heard him tell tales of losing whole fortunes in one night," Fugleman went on. "Sounds like you two got along pretty well," Richard interjected. "That was a long time ago. Like I said, Al lost his license and I had to take up the slack," the lawyer explained. "What a minute… he was thrown off the bar?" the Detective said with a puzzled look on her face. "Yeah, that's right. I'm sorry, I thought I told you," the attorney apologized. "To lose your license to practice law, you have to commit some sort of crime or at least be indicted by a grand jury. What did Al do exactly?" Castle wondered.

"You've got me there. I didn't have anything to do with the case, but it definitely ruined him. Al told me when it was done that his life would never be the same," Fugleman reported. "Thank you for your time, sir. However, we'd appreciate it if you came down to the station next time," Beckett pointed out. "I understand, but you have to realize that I'm a busy man. Right now I could be billing my client at $3,000 dollars an hour," the lawyer observed. "And that, my friends; is the reason why I'm never going to get divorced again," Richard remarked.

"Don't you think it's rather odd that the Pulaskis' lawyer lost his job just before his clients died?" Castle said. "People commit crimes, get fired and die every day. The fact that three people who happen to have a personal connection have something like that occur within a short period of time is tragic really," Beckett told him. "You can't tell me you aren't a little freaked out by the mountain of coincidence in these peoples' lives?" he countered. "Everything that happens is either by accident or on purpose. If we stopped to analyze every random event, nothing would ever get done," she retorted. "I guess you're right. Good thing the government's built a machine to monitor everything we do or society might fall apart at the seams," Richard asserted. "Conspiracy theory?" Kate guessed. "Number one in my list of the top ten possible situations that might already exist without anyone being aware of it," Castle told her.

"What's at the bottom?" Beckett wondered. "We're all being systematically replaced by clones bred to produce a master race," the writer answered. "And does this have any relevance to our case?" she demanded. "Not really, but you do have to admit. It would be pretty cool if we could prove something like that existed," Richard commented. They had reached the precinct by then and his partner called out, "Ryan, where are we on Marsha Simmons' clients?" "Just got the phone with the doorman who works the building where the last of our victim's customers lives. I've made up a list for reference," Kevin reported, handing it over. Beckett hung it on the board and ran a finger down the names and times while Castle looked over her shoulder. "We've got a least three here who were alone when Marsha was killed. Any of them have priors?" Kate asked.

"Just one. A Mister Xavier North. He's been hauled in twice for drug possession. His last arrest was not too far from the house Marsha lived in when she died," Ryan told them. "Okay, have uniforms pick him up," she directed. "Already on it," Kevin reported. "Beckett, you wanted information on that house Paul was buried in," Esposito interjected, approaching them and handing over a file. "Twelve owners in the last three years. Have you looked into these people?" Beckett inquired. "Yep. At least one in three doesn't exist. No files with the DMV or in the federal database," Javier told her. "Sounds like something shady was going on in that place," Castle noted. "Esposito, what about before five years ago? I don't see any records from back then," Kate observed. "That's because they were lost in a warehouse fire, along with dozens of other files. Investigators at the time concluded it was arson, with the intent of collecting the insurance. They came down really hard on a lawyer. One Al Iyndiri," Esposito reported.

"That must be how he lost his license. But why would he get involved with something like that? An attorney would handle enough cases to know that arson is one of the hardest crimes to conceal. And any company would be bound to investigate, since they wouldn't want to pay up," Richard pointed out. "Why wasn't he arrested?" the Detective wondered. "There wasn't sufficient proof to show he'd started the blaze in the first place, but Al was definitely in it up to his neck," Javier asserted. "Get an APB out on him. Maybe he can clear up some of the confusion," Beckett decided. "So let's see. Since we started our investigation we've found out that nearly everybody involved was lying to everyone else, someone is trying to cover up the facts about a seemingly ordinary house and we still don't have any idea who did this or why," he noted. "Give it time, Castle. Murders aren't solved in a day, you know," Kate reminded him. "So what's next on our agenda?" the writer inquired. "Hopefully, it won't take too long for us to round up Xavier North and Al Iyndiri. That should go a long way towards helping us to tie up the remaining loose ends," she observed. "Speaking of which, have we determined that there wasn't anything about that house which might have sparked so much interest?" Castle asked.

Beckett started to reply, stopped and turned to her computer; quickly punching in the address. "I've got a few crimes in the general area. Just about normal, really. Mostly petty thefts, narcotics violations and domestic disturbances. There's no mention of that place anywhere in our files until we found Paul Pulaski," Kate remarked. "So why was Marsha there in the first place?" he wondered. "Our killer wanted to use the demolition to hide the body," she suggested. "Is this the same person who stashed Paul beneath the floorboards? Because that would be the height of idiocy," Richard argued. "You're right. But I don't know of any other way Marsha might have found out about it. Lutz certainly didn't mention the house to her and it hasn't show up anywhere else in our records," his partner maintained. "What about those false identities? It would have taken a certain amount of skill to set those up and make the transactions without raising any red flags. Sounds like the sort of business that might attract a lawyer without a job, if you ask me," Castle insisted.

"But why would Al Iyndiri leave his practice to begin with?" Beckett countered. "Maybe he knew that the end was near. Perhaps he was the one who helped Paul and Cora cover up their past together so their new marriages wouldn't be torn apart. In fact, I'd be willing to say that Al is probably the guy who arranged the theft of the body. He would certainly know a few shady characters. In order to make certain it stays hidden, all record of who owns the house has to disappear. From then on, Al could only turn it over to people that he trusted," Richard explained. "Then three weeks ago, Marsha leaves behind her upscale apartment to take up residence in the very house her father was buried in. But we know she didn't find him. We know that while she wasn't rich, Marsha could clearly afford a comfortable lifestyle. So why did she move?" Kate inquired.

"Remember what Fugleman told us. Paul and Leslie hired him to do their wills just before they died. They would only go to someone that expensive if both of them wanted to make sure the document couldn't be successfully challenged. Only Paul never finished his. So what was it he planned to have altered?" he asked. "I don't think either of their attorneys knew that," she remarked. "You're probably right. Five years ago, something changed in the lives of the Pulaskis. For twenty years, they'd been a happy couple with a lovely daughter. Even Cora might not have guessed the whole truth. Then, everything changes practically overnight. And correct me if I'm wrong, but since that's also when the records for that house was destroyed; I think it's safe to conclude that whatever happened took place there. I think that's what Marsha discovered and she went there to prove it by finding the only piece of evidence which might have escaped our killer. The new will," Castle proclaimed.


	6. Chapter 6

VI

"I can't believe you dragged me all the way out here again," Beckett remarked as they combed thru the rubble. "It could be worse. I might have insisted we go back to the landfill," Castle pointed out. "Don't even joke about that. Besides, anything which might have ended up there would have been destroyed days ago," she observed. "Not necessarily. When it comes to important documents, most people have a box designed to resist fire and water damage so their most precious items survive," Richard told her. "Let me guess. Yours hold pictures of Alexis, a rough draft of your first novel and the key to your Ferrari," Kate remarked. "I'll tell you mine if you do the same," he offered. "Not a chance," his partner retorted. "On the way over here, I was thinking; why'd it take Marsha three years to find what she was looking for? She had hired a private investigator, but he didn't lead her to this house. So she must have found it some other way," Castle commented.

"Maybe she noticed an irregularity in the records. After all, real estate was her business. And a place that changed owners this often which was also bought by people who didn't exist might have gotten her attention. If Marsha had learned anything about Rachel's past, she might have suspected that her sister was still breaking the law," Beckett stated. "She would have probably gone to Fugleman just like we did and learned the same things. Maybe that's why it took her so long. Working alone, without the benefit of law enforcement; locating Al Iyndiri wouldn't have been easy," Richard told her. "So why didn't Marsha report her suspicions?" Kate countered. "Because that's all they were. She knew her father had tried to change his will. Perhaps he had intended to leave her something. Only now no proof of that existed. In order to keep her job, Marsha would have had to sign all sorts of forms guaranteeing the confidentiality of the information which came her way. If she had spoken up, her clients could have sued her into bankruptcy or worse," he declared.

"I don't know about that. After all, she was murdered," his partner responded. "True. So what do you think happened here? Cora finally decided to come clean and bare her soul to her former husband and his new wife. Sure, things seem normal between her and Damian now; but who knows what it was like then?" Castle inquired. "Unfortunately, unless the Simmons admit the truth or the police were involved; we'll probably never know," Beckett told him. "Didn't we already establish that this house was never involved in any illegal activities?" Richard retorted. "If you've got a better idea, I'd love to hear it," Kate shot back. They rounded a pile of rubble and lying on the floor there was a crumpled container of the type they'd been expecting to find. "Do we open it here or wait until we go home?" he wondered. "I'm calling in CSU. We'll dust it for prints, test for DNA and then see what's inside. If you're right, we are about to uncover the motive for at least one of our murders; if not both," his partner assured him. "Just in case you forgot, you're supposed to give me all the credit for this," Castle proclaimed, which caused her to roll her eyes even as she raised her walkie-talkie.

"Is it safe to come in now?" Castle asked, glancing thru the door of his apartment. "Dad? Where have you been? Did you dig up the cemetery again?" Alexis wondered. "I'll have you know that Detective Beckett and I just finished uncovering what I'm sure will be a crucial piece of evidence in our ongoing investigation," he replied, then looked around and went on, "Where's your grandmother?" "Conducting ongoing research in order to convey the fine art of acting to future generations. At least, that's what she called it. How's the case? She told me it involved sisters raised in different households," his daughter said.

"Yes. Well, let's just say that the lives of these people were tied in more knots than even a sailor could manage. Every time we uncover one layer of deceit and think we're getting a step closer to the truth, another lie rears its ugly head," Richard responded. "That sounds awful. Do you even know who's being honest with you?" she inquired. "As you've probably observed by now, when it come to crime; most people involved tend to try to keep the truth hidden. The only time it comes to the surface is either because they've made a mistake or something unexpected happens…" Castle trailed off, realizing that he'd just gotten a new insight into the case. "You just figured out something, didn't you?" Alexis observed. "I was just thinking… even though these people lived in different circles and almost certainly never crossed paths for most of their lives after the adoption was finalized; we don't know that they couldn't have bumped into each other. All it would have taken is one chance encounter and the whole tangled web of lies would have crumbled like a house of cards," the writer asserted.

"No will. All we found were the old records for the house where we found Marsha. Even that didn't turn up anything. The previous owners have no connection with either family and five years ago, the bank foreclosed; forcing them to sell," Beckett reported. "Last night, I was thinking about what drove the Pulaskis to change their wills. We've assumed that both couples knew they had one of the daughters. But what if Paul and Leslie thought Rachel had been an only child?" Castle suggested. "Even if that was true, how could they have found out the truth?" Kate wondered. "Whenever someone can't make payments on a house, an auction is sometimes held for the property. Who handled the one for this home?" Richard asked.

"Let me see here… Pulaski Realty. Paul's old firm," she stated. "So as far as Paul is concerned it's just another day at the job. He shows up to an expectant crowd of potential buyers and as he looks out over the audience; Paul sees the face of his ex-wife, Cora Simmons. And standing at her side is a young woman who looks just like the daughter he's spent the last twenty years raising," he concluded. "Even if you're right, we'd never be able to prove it. Cora probably wouldn't remember after all this time, especially since Paul died a short time later," his partner argued. "That's true. But if you were in that position, what would you do?" Castle inquired. "I guess I'd be a little confused. It isn't every day someone finds out they have two children instead of just one," Beckett admitted. "You're forgetting the fact that Cora kept the paternity of her daughters hidden. Paul might have begun to suspect that the reason she kept Marsha concealed was because Cora didn't want him to know he was the father," Richard proclaimed.

"Because if she had done that, then it might have ruined things with Damian. And it could have split up Paul and Leslie too. So she sacrifices the truth to preserve the new families. Frankly, I think it would have been simpler if they just stayed together," Kate remarked. "People don't get over the things that drive them apart. It seems clear that Paul and Cora didn't want to put in the effort that reconciliation would have required; especially so soon after they parted ways. But when Paul found out about Marsha, he did the first thing most parents would do. He decided to change his will," the writer concluded. "That's a good story, but so far all we have to go on is speculation. Without any evidence, we won't be able to pin this crime on anyone," she reflected. "What about the case? Anything conclusive on it?" Castle asked. "Both of the daughters prints are there, but anything older has either faded or was covered up by the fire," Beckett told him.

"I'm guessing that you checked the papers as well," he remarked. "They swept the whole thing, inside and out. You know I'm not about to let any stones go unturned, especially since we've spent three days on this and gotten nowhere," Kate countered. "You said that those were the only current prints on any of the documents? Then I know who killed Paul," Richard proclaimed. "Come on, Castle. We haven't even interviewed that guy from Marsha's client list or found Al Iyndiri. How can you possibly know who bumped off Paul Pulaski?" she shot back. "If you'll recall, we already know who set the fire intended to destroy those documents. Since they survived, I'm guessing it was to act as a form of insurance. Al Iyndiri didn't want to follow in his former client's footsteps to an early grave. But Marsha started looking into the matter. For three years, she persistently hunted down every lead. It became clear to her that her father's lawyer was as slimy as they come. And the only one who stood to benefit by keeping the facts under wraps was the one person she knew the least about. Her sister, Rachel," the writer asserted.

"Except she has an alibi for Marsha's death. And since Rachel was the sole inheritor of her parent's estate, money wouldn't have been a motive," Beckett pointed out. "She could have deduced the existence of the other will just like we did and killed her father before he could change it; cutting her out of half the fortune," Castle proclaimed. "That doesn't account for what happened to Marsha. I can accept the idea that Al wanted something on file which would point to Paul's killer. But why would Rachel leave clues that only led us straight back to her?" Kate inquired. Richard shook his head in reply and declared, "You've got me there. Still, it does make a certain amount of sense." "The day's young. You've got a least twelve hours to devise another scenario which fits all of the pieces together," she reminded him.

Just then, Ryan came up and said, "Beckett, I've got Xavier North in interrogation." "Now, if you don't mind waiting in the observation room; I'm going to see what I can do to solve this case without resorting to wild flights of imagination," his partner went on. He followed, entering the chamber that adjoined hers and taking a long look at the man she was about to interview. It was clear that Xavier North had led a life on the outskirts of the law and Castle wondered if he might have been wrong about him after all. "I'm Detective Kate Beckett. Mister North, what can you tell me about your relationship with Marsha Simmons?" Beckett asked. "We are pretty close. Is she in some kind of trouble?" Xavier wondered. "We found her body in the landfill three days ago," Kate told him. "Marsha is dead?" North replied, suddenly seeming distraught.

"How close were you to Miss Simmons?" his partner went on. "We kind of grew up together. Lived in the same neighborhood, hung out after school. She was my girlfriend once, you know; until she moved away," Xavier answered. "Then Marsha broke off your relationship," Beckett concluded. "The sad part is, she never told me why. I mean, was it another guy; wasn't I good enough for her? I always wondered," North proclaimed. "Is that why you tracked her down and killed her?" the Detective demanded. "What are you talking about? I'd never hurt Marsha. I loved her!" Xavier asserted. "We know that you've been near the house where her body was found. We also found records that indicate you used her services as a realtor in the past three years. You're telling me that you don't know anything about that," Kate declared.

"That depends. Did she work for Twining Realty?" North asked. "So you are familiar with them," Beckett interjected. "They handled a lot of my unsavory business until three years ago. I approached Marsha, hoping that she could change the mind of the gal who was over the joint. But she would scarcely give me the time of day. I couldn't understand why, since she hadn't had any problems with my lifestyle before that," Xavier explained. Castle frowned, a quiet alarm bell going off in the back of his head. He wasn't sure what it meant just yet, but Richard had the feeling that if he followed his instincts that would lead him to the answers which they wanted to find.


	7. Chapter 7

VII

"Well, at least his alibi checks out. I guess that means we have another dead end," Beckett lamented. "I was thinking about what Mister North said. If Marsha didn't mind his behavior before, what changed recently?" Castle wondered. "People opinions aren't set in stone, you know. Oftentimes the things someone likes when they are young aren't the same as those they care for in later years," Kate observed. "Still, it does seem odd. Especially given what we know about the alterations in Rachel's behavior. Miss Pulaski went from a slightly disreputable realtor to an upstanding citizen practically overnight. There must be a reason," he maintained. "Well unless we find something concrete, all we can do is guess. And you and I both know how much Captain Gates loves it whenever we try to figure out what's going on that way," she countered. "I know that we've been over this several times already and we both agree that there has to be a detail we haven't seen in one of these cases," the writer insisted.

"Might I remind you of our failure to even find some of the people involved, like Al Iyndiri? We can't spend all day rehashing every theory in the book," Beckett asserted. "I don't know about you, but I'm fresh out of ideas. Even if the lawyer confirms most of our speculations, all we have to go on is circumstantial evidence in regard to Paul. I doubt we'd ever get Rachel to confess," Richard argued. "Maybe having motive and opportunity will be enough for the DA to press charges," Kate suggested. "While that might be true, do we know how many other people would have had the same thing? And without the altered will, we can't prove Rachel had a motive since Al probably didn't know what changes his clients were going to make," Castle observed. "So we get him in here, grill him on the files he was hiding and offer a deal if he'll testify against Rachel," his partner replied.

"And what will he say? 'Yes, Miss Pulaski knew that her father planned to change his will. Oh and I burned down a warehouse, stole a record of an auction and hid it in the house where I buried his stolen body.' An attorney would know better than to incriminate himself that way. You'll be fortunate if he even gives you the time of day," he commented. "I suppose you have an alternative suggestion," she countered. "You told me that we only found the sisters' prints on that case. But Al doesn't know that," Richard reminded her. "So we confront him with the documents and see whether or not he spills the beans. What makes you think he won't lawyer up?" Beckett inquired.

"He was an attorney after all and Al Iyndiri has spent the last five years hiding the truth from the law. He'll know the consequences for obstruction of justice. And perhaps bringing the truth into open will be something of a relief for him, like a weight off of his shoulders," the writer declared. "Esposito, any word on Al Iyndiri?" Kate requested. "Actually, yeah. We put a trace on his financials and got a hit on his credit card. Two officers just picked him up and he should be here in no time," Javier responded. "See what happens if you're patient?" his partner observed, then turned back to Esposito and commanded, "Bring me that case and those documents from Marsha's house." As he left to comply, Castle put in, "Do I get to be the good cop or the bad cop?"

"Al Iyndiri, I'm Detective Kate Beckett of the NYPD. I must say, you gave us something of a run for our money. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you weren't interested in being found," Beckett stated as she took a seat. Iyndiri wiped a sheen of sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief and said, "I know my rights. I haven't committed any crime. Either arrest me for something or let me go." "How about the murder of Marsha Simmons?" Castle retorted. "She's dead? What happened to her?" Al wondered. "We believe Marsha was attacked at home and left there so that her body would be destroyed when it was demolished. What was your relationship with Miss Simmons?" Kate asked. "Cordial, although I can't say we knew each other better than to say hello. I'd seen her around the office a couple of times when I dropped in to consult with Rachel," the former lawyer told them. "So you were better acquainted with Miss Pulaski," Richard concluded. "We'd worked together ever since I lost my license to practice law. She'd buy up cheap properties, put a few thousand into them and sell the place at a profit. I worked as a middleman, negotiating with individuals who didn't want to be seen in her neck of the woods," Iyndiri asserted.

"We understand that you were removed from the bar due to an incident involving a warehouse fire. Care to tell us about that?" his partner inquired. "There's not much to say, since I'm innocent," Al answered. "Really? Because if that's the case then where did this come from and why does it have your prints on it?" she demanded, placing an evidence bag on the table. "Is that supposed to mean something to me?" the former lawyer wondered. "It's the record of an auction which Paul Pulaski oversaw. Until we found it, this was presumed to have been destroyed by the same blaze which cost you your license," the writer informed him. "You're pulling my leg? You're telling me that place was really torched?" Iyndiri observed. "You can cut out the innocent act, Al. We know that you set the fire in order to cover up this document, which proved that Paul had a connection to this house. You then stole his body from the funeral home and buried it inside this building. What we don't know is why," the Detective said.

"That's a really good story. But there's just one problem with it. Why would I care whether Paul had anything to do with this place?" Al shot back. "It was when he found out that Rachel was not only his biological daughter, but also when he discovered that he had a second child. That's when he fired you and sought the counsel of H. R. Fugleman in order to change his will," Castle informed him. "Paul didn't let me go. I lost my license first. And what's this about a second child? I didn't even know he had one," the former lawyer asserted. "You're telling me that in all the time you worked for the Pulaskis, you never had any dealings with Damian and Cora Simmons. You didn't meet their daughter Marsha and happen to notice that she looked just like Rachel Pulaski," Beckett challenged. "Maybe I did and perhaps I didn't. Any dealings I had at the time would be protected by my oath of confidentiality. In case you forgot, that applies even after I left the business," Iyndiri proclaimed.

"If you didn't take those files, then why did we find this document in a fire-proof case buried beneath the rubble of the same house where Marsha had been living just prior to her death? You can't expect for us to believe that the destruction of the warehouse where it was being kept is a coincidence, especially given all of the other facts we've uncovered," Richard noted. "You're a real piece of work, you know that. Talking about how I did this or that when if you really had anything I would already be in jail," Al retorted. "We are more interested in getting your cooperation. The evidence doesn't suggest that you had anything to do with the murder of Marsha Simmons or Paul Pulaski. But if we find out that you were aware of details regarding those crimes, then I'm afraid we'll have to charge you with obstruction of justice," Kate warned.

"Alright, look. I'm not going to say that you're right. But you ain't all wrong, neither. If I did get that file somehow, it was all perfectly legit. As far as I knew, Paul died of a bad heart. Everybody knew he'd been fighting it for years. The doctors had him on enough pills to choke a horse. But this rigamarole about Rachel and Marsha being his kids? Never crossed my mind before. And as for that will, I wouldn't be surprised if anything of the sort existed," the former lawyer told them. "Very well, Mister Iyndiri. But I wouldn't make any travel arrangements if I were you," his partner directed, starting to get up. "Wait just a minute," Castle requested, then went on, "What do you mean about not being astonished that Paul had changed his will?"

"Whenever I worked for the Pulaskis, they had written up a document which covered every scenario. Say if one or the other died first, or maybe at the same time. And neither of these left a dime to Rachel. So when I heard she'd gotten everything, I knew that they had to have altered them," Al proclaimed. "Which begs the question, if you didn't make Paul's new will and Fugleman wasn't responsible…" Richard began and Beckett finished, "Who was?"

"Esposito, who was the executor of Leslie Pulaski's will?" Kate inquired. "Let me check my notes… that would be her husband," Javier answered. "What about Paul's estate? Who took care of it?" Castle asked. "Rachel. Why?" Esposito wondered. "We need a copy of his last will and testament. A lot of the facts in this case seem to lead back to that document. And I'm inclined to believe Al Iyndiri when he says he didn't know that Rachel was supposed to inherit anything," Beckett observed. "I'll get right on it," Javier promised. "So let's suppose we're right. Sometime after Al lost his license, Paul changes his will to include Rachel. Then, he goes to Fugleman in order to alter it again. The question is, why? And why did someone arrange that fire and steal the document recording the auction?" Richard wondered. "Your guess is as good as mine, Castle. It seems like every time we think we have a lead in this case, we come up dry," his partner commented.

"Perhaps Paul didn't learn about Marsha whenever he arranged the sale of that house. Who was it sold to?" he inquired. "Let's see here… it's one of the false identities we already know about. That won't lead us anywhere, since we aren't certain who set them up," she remarked. "No, but Paul certainly didn't make money by doing transactions with people who don't exist. We know that he was a successful realtor. Maybe he was just as crooked as his daughter, but better at covering it up," Castle suggested. "So you're saying this is another arrangement like Al mentioned. Buying up a property, renovating it and selling the place to make money," Beckett replied. "Except this time, Paul didn't live to complete the sale. And Rachel came out of the deal two million dollars richer," Richard declared. "Nobody makes that kind of money selling real estate unless we're talking high rises and penthouses," Kate shot back.

"Remember what Fugleman said about going by the documents which the Pulaskis had already provided him? And how Leslie had changed her will, but Paul didn't finish his? We already know the document Al drew up covered what would happen in either of the Pulaskis died first. Normally, when a couple has no children; the surviving spouse gets everything. But Paul and Leslie may have taken precautions to cover the possibility of remarriage, which would have meant giving a portion of their finances to any children that might result. So when Leslie died, Paul and any kids he had became the heirs. Since he never altered that document, it must be the alterations to Leslie's will which left the balance to Rachel," he argued.

"Why would she do that? They weren't even related," his partner protested. "It all comes down to timing. If her new will gave everything to Paul, then when she died and no other document was created; the lawyer would have to go by the old will when Paul was killed. Which would almost certainly have included a provision for any children which he had," Castle told her. "Then why didn't Marsha get anything?" she wondered. "I bet Miss Simmons was asking the same questions whenever she came to town. But you're missing the real key to this whole mystery. If Paul didn't learn that Rachel was his child at that auction, then why was his will about to be altered? Whoever killed him must have learnt of his plans and murdered him in order to keep that from taking place. Which means that five years ago, someone discovered that the Pulaskis had a reason to disinherit them," Richard concluded.


	8. Chapter 8

VIII

"Thank you for coming in, Miss Pulaski," Beckett proclaimed, taking her seat. "Of course. Anything I can do to assist," Rachel replied. "We were wondering if you could help us to clarify a few matters. Tell me, do you recognize this house?" Kate asked, passing over a picture. "I'm not sure. Is it one of my properties? I have so many and there are other people in my firm," Pulaski commented. "This is where your sister's body was left and the spot where your father was buried. It was also sold by him at an auction five years ago, shortly before he died. It took a little digging, but we've connected that property to James Winthrop of Roquefort Construction. He's the one who has been holding onto it, using a number of false identities," Castle told her. "I'm not sure I understand. I mean, I know that sort of thing is illegal; but I had nothing to do with it. Why haven't you arrest this Winthrop character?" Rachel wondered.

"We'll get back to him. Right now, I was hoping you could tell us more about your father's business. Specifically, how he went from a small-time operator to the founder of a company recently valued at ten million dollars?" his partner inquired. "Just good at his job, I guess. I mean; come on, Detective. How well did you pay attention to what your parents did for a living when you were growing up?" Pulaski countered. "We've looked into some of the other transactions Paul handled. Quite a few suffered from vandalism shortly before they went on the market. Your father purchased them for a discount and then sold the properties at an inflated price. On occasion, he would also deal with locations that had been legitimately foreclosed to make his involvement with the others seem accidental," Richard proclaimed. "And you think that's why he was killed?" Rachel observed. "You're a smart young woman, Miss Pulaski. I'm sure you would have seen some evidence of your father's activities before his death. Perhaps meetings he held away from home, behind closed doors or late at night. Your mother must have caught on as well. It's even possible that she thought he was cheating on her," Beckett stated.

"What does any of that have to do with me?" the realtor asked. "You completed the transaction your father began before he died and in the time since then, you've continued to arrange similar deals on other locations. There's an ongoing investigation into your activities, Miss Pulaski. But you can make all of that go away if you tell us how you really met Marsha," Kate offered. "I don't know what you mean," Rachel protested.

"You were at that auction five years ago, weren't you? Paul must have been showing you the ropes, helping you to learn how to arrange similar sales without arousing any suspicion. That was when you bumped into your own personal doppleganger. You probably laughed about it, thinking that somewhere in the world there had to be at least one person who looked like you. Only Marsha wouldn't let it go. She looked into your background and contacted your father. By that time, he'd already completed the sale and his lawyer was facing the loss of his license. Maybe they were afraid that someone had caught onto their little scam and decided to make the whole thing disappear by burning down the warehouse where the files were stored. Except that Al Iyndiri took out a little insurance. The file regarding that last auction, the one you took a part in. He knew that it would have a certain power over your father to put your reputation in danger as well. What Al didn't realize was that Paul had already learned you were his biological daughter. Naturally, this led him to change the terms of his will. Of course, he couldn't do that without alerting his wife to the fact," Castle declared.

"Leslie never learned the truth, did she? Whenever your stepmother changed her will, she left everything to you and Paul. Then your father died without a new will, meaning that his fortune reverted to his wife's heirs," Kate proclaimed. "You two make quite a pair, you know. Yeah, I met my sister that day. Never had such a shock in my life. But I didn't know that she followed thru on our encounter. Dad never told me about any new will either. I had thought he wanted to leave Marsha something, so you can imagine my surprise when I got it all. Of course, I didn't know where she lived and I wasn't legally obligated to give her anything. But I felt sorry for her when she showed up on my doorstep, looking for the truth. That's when I gave my sister a job. As for that document you mentioned, this is the first time I've ever heard of it," Pulaski insisted.

"Then why did we find your prints on the outside of this case holding that file?" the Detective commanded. Rachel looked flabbergasted for a moment, but before she could answer a man stormed in and proclaimed, "This interview is over. If you want to contact us again, speak to our lawyer!" "Who are you?" Beckett wondered. "Sean Harper, her fiance. Now unless you want to arrest her, we're done here," the stranger proclaimed and marched his fiancee out. "You ever get the feeling this just isn't our week?" Richard remarked.

"I thought I told you two to stick to one line of inquiry. Why are you still looking into the murder of Paul Pulaski?" Captain Victoria Gates wondered. "Sir, we believe that his daughter Rachel learned of her father's plan to alter his will which would have reduced her inheritance by half. Knowing of his history of heart trouble and the medication he was taking, she procured epinephrine and used it to kill him. Then Rachel hired someone, possibly Al Iyndiri; to steal her father's body to prevent any investigation by her sister since she has admitted that she knew of Marsha's existence," Beckett reported.

"Miss Pulaski lied to us about when she originally met her sister, probably because she knew that would connect her to the murder of her father. That's how she figured out why Paul and Leslie altered their wills. She must have reasoned that Marsha had done some digging of her own, leading her parents to take this action. When her stepmother died, Rachel would have been there for the reading of the will if she inherited anything. She knew it was important to act quickly before Paul could change his since as matters stood, she would get everything," Castle concluded. "That's all well and good, but it still doesn't address the issue of Marsha Simmons' murder. All I've heard about Paul's case is a lot of conjecture, based upon a will that we don't even know existed. And didn't you tell me that Rachel has an alibi for the death of her sister?" Gates inquired. "Yes, sir; but…" Kate began.

"Don't even start, Detective. While I'd like to tie this up in a neat little package just as much as you would, the chances of a real connection between the deaths of Paul Pulaski and Marsha Simmons aren't very high; despite the fact that their bodies were left in the same house. Now that you've practically accused Rachel of complicity in her father's death, you're not going to get her cooperation. And without further proof, you won't be able to press charges against her. So why don't you do what I told you to begin with, and work on the case which isn't five years old?" the Captain demanded. "We'll get to work on that right away, sir," his partner proclaimed, leading him out of the office. "Is it just me, or does seem a little steamed?" Richard wondered. "You think?" Beckett retorted, walking over to sit on the edge of the desk in front of the board where the details of the crimes were laid out.

"I don't suppose any more leads have turned up since the last time we checked?" he commented. "Hey Ryan, Esposito! Get over here for a minute," she called out. "What's up? Lose your mojo?" Javier asked. "Yeah, I thought you two had this thing all figured out. Solve one case and the other one's in the bag," Kevin noted. "Unfortunately, our only viable suspect in Paul Pulaski's murder has invoked her right to an attorney and without more than her fingerprints on that container; we're at a dead end," Kate told them. "I don't suppose there's a database for those sorts of boxes," Castle interjected. "Nah, they're a dime a dozen in this town," Ryan observed. "For all we know, Marsha could have brought it to that house from her office," Esposito added. "You have her prints on the case, along with Rachel's. And it was at the scene of a crime. Given the apparently illegal nature of the transactions, isn't that enough to procure a warrant to search their offices?" Richard stated.

"Now that they've got their lawyer involved, we'd be fortunate to get another look at that place before the end of the year," his partner lamented. "What about Al Iyndiri? We know he's connected with this somehow. He's already admitted that he came into contact with that document we found before. Old Al wasn't the bank's lawyer, he was Paul's. And his client wouldn't have wanted for his secret business to be exposed. But Marsha's investigation into that auction could have done just that. So the only way Al could've come into contact with it was by stealing it, just as we suspected," the writer asserted. "Except we don't actually have his prints on the papers," Beckett reminded him. "The point is, Al thought that they could be. Which means that there is a connection between him and that fire. If we can find out what it is, Al Iyndiri will probably attempt to make a deal. Then, we could use that evidence to convince a judge to issue a search warrant," Castle declared.

"You want to start investigating another crime? After what Captain Gates just told us? Have you completely lost your mind?" Kate demanded. "It was just a thought. How long is the statute of limitations on arson, anyways? Not to mention fraud, forgery and whatever else old Al is mixed up in," he noted. "Look, guys… it's getting late. Why don't we call it a night and get a fresh start in the morning?" his partner suggested. "Sounds like the best idea I've heard all day," Javier proclaimed. "Come on! We're this close to solving the case," Richard protested, holding up two fingers a small distance apart. "Some of us have other things to do than hang around the precinct. We can all get a good night's sleep and maybe tomorrow we will be able to wrap this thing up," Beckett admonished.

"Evening, ladies. How is everything?" Castle asked as he entered his apartment. "As well as can be expected whenever expectation is postponed," Alexis remarked somberly. "Still no reply from Stanford?" he guessed. "You'd think we would have heard something by now, dad. I only have a limited amount of time to be accepted," his daughter noted. "She's not get any younger, you know," his mother added. "True, but when it comes to college applications; you have to think of it from their point of view. After all, how many people try to get in every year?" Richard inquired. "That's not the point. Ashley's gotten his back and we both applied about the same time and why shouldn't I have heard something? Did it get lost in the mail? Perhaps it was sent to the wrong address? Who knows what might have happened?" Alexis commented.

"Whoa, slow down there. You're not going to get the answers any faster by worrying about it. Have you called to make certain that they've received it?" Castle wondered. "Exactly what I told her. But who listens to me?" Martha observed. "I would do that, but I don't want to seem pushy. I mean; that might cause them to reject me and then I would never be able to forgive myself because that would mean I couldn't go to college with Ashley and I really don't know what to do, dad," his daughter proclaimed. "Well, whenever I'm experiencing writer's block; often the best thing I can do is take a little time off and try to relax. You can't stay focused on the same subject for days at a time without a break. I'm sure you'll get a reply in no time and everything will work out just the way you planned," he stated.


	9. Chapter 9

IX

"You two are up early. Is that the mail I see lying on the table?" Castle remarked. "Nothing yet. I'm beginning to think that they've forgotten about me," Alexis told him. "No way. That would never happen. Before you know it, you'll be holding their reply in your hands and skipping about with joy," he assured her. She looked at him for a moment and then sighed and admitted, "Yeah… I guess you're right. I just want everything to work out, you know?" "It will, you'll see," Richard told her. After she hugged him, Alexis asked, "So… how was your day yesterday? You never mentioned the case at all last night." "Oh you know, the usual. Backstabbing lawyers, buried bodies and conniving spouses. If I didn't know any better I'd say that house was built at 1313 Mockingbird Lane," Richard answered. "Sounds like it could give you a headache," Alexis observed. "I'm just thinking, there has to be some reason Marsha was interested in that propety… something which led her to guess her father was buried there," he commented. "What are we talking about?" his mother wondered as she entered.

"The case dad's working on. He thinks one of the women involved purchased the house where someone had hidden one of their victims, knowing it was there," his daughter responded. "So she bought it to reveal the truth?" Martha guessed. "But why would it take three weeks? Does it take that long to find a body?" Richard asked. "Depends on how deep it was buried I suppose… and where," his mother replied. "Beckett and I found it in no time… of course, that was after I had been leveled. Maybe Marsha suspected the reason her sister was passing thru different tenants was in order to make sure no one found any proof that she was connected to Paul's murder," Castle added and then concluded, "So she must've bought the house under a false identity concluding that would be the only way she could get to the property without her sister knowing about it. Then, after three weeks she uncovers Paul's body; calls her sister up to ask her out to the house and confronts her with the information. Rachel realizes she's got no choice, kills her and escapes before the demolition crew comes."

"Why not take her sister's body with her? Wouldn't leaving Marsha there make it impossible not to find Paul?" Alexis countered. He frowned and sighed before remarking, "You're right, that's stupid. From what I've seen, Rachel is much to smart to make that kind of mistake. Maybe I'm looking at this all wrong. Maybe the reason Marsha bought the house wasn't to find her father's body at all or to confront Rachel about his untimely death," he decided. "Well, I guess if you're going to be sitting here pondering over the universe I'm going to head to school. Bye, dad," Alexis said and then headed off. "Just think, one of these days she's going to walk out that door for the last time," Castle observed sadly. "Hopefully, that's a long time in both of your futures," Martha commented. "I'd better get going. Beckett can be rather grumpy before she's had her coffee in the morning," Richard commented before heading out the door, knowing even as he did that his ruminations had stumbled upon another piece to the puzzle. The only question was, where did it fit with the fact they already had?

"Is it possible for us to investigate postal records?" Castle wondered. "Got an idea for our case?" Beckett asked. "No. Alexis hasn't got a reply on her application to Stanford yet. It means a lot to her and she's worried. I was hoping that there might be a way for you to help me alleviate her concerns," he remarked. "Using police resources in that fashion isn't exactly how I would recommend for you to behave if you want Captain Gates to ever accept you," she told him. "I suppose not. It was just a thought," Richard replied. "So, any fresh insight on our two mysteries?" Kate inquired.

"Now that you mention it… no, I'm fresh out. I keep thinking about that house she was in. Why would Paul be so desperate to hide his association with it, going so far as to arrange for the destruction of any files which showed that he'd ever been there? After all, the only thing he knew was that someone was trying to find out more about him and his business. We've also established that it was the sisters who met five years ago, which started Marsha's search for the truth. Whatever her father was trying to keep hidden appears to have stayed that way, despite her investigation," the writer pointed out. "I guess she should have hired a better PI, then," she declared. Castle frowned then got to his feet and said, "How did Lutz find out Paul was her father?" "What do you mean?" his partner wondered. "We know about the relationship because of his work. But how did he learn of it?" Richard inquired. "He must have gotten access to the adoption papers," Beckett suggested.

"That must have been some pretty amazing work, since most of the time its difficult to get a look at them even when a warrant is obtained," he proclaimed. "What are you getting at?" she wondered. "Lutz knew that Paul was her father. He couldn't have run a DNA test without the body. And he established the connection to Cora. The only person alive who might have provided him with that information is Al Iyndiri. But as a former lawyer, he couldn't share that with just anyone without running the risk of a lawsuit. What's more, Al didn't know that Rachel and Marsha were Paul's kids. So how was Morgan Lutz able to establish those facts?" Castle demanded. "Esposito! Do we have Lutz under surviellance?" Kate called out.

"Round the clock. What's up?" Javier asked. "Pull him in. There's something fishy about his involvement in this and I intend to get to the bottom of it," his partner proclaimed. "Understood," Esposito told them, moving to his phone. "Don't you think we should get Al Iyndiri in here too? Compare stories and see what doesn't add up. See if they recognize each other?" Richard suggested. "One thing at a time, Castle," Beckett countered. "Is that so? Thanks," Esposito said, put down the phone and declared, "Morgan Lutz slipped past our boys in the night. They're combing the area for clues to his whereabouts as we speak." "Nothing screams suspicious like sneaking out of your house while being watched by the police. Do you think our friendly neighborhood PI knew that it was only a matter of time before we caught onto him?" the writer asserted. "Probably, but why did he run now?" Kate inquired.

"The only thing that happened recently…" he began, but she finished, "…was our conversation with Rachel." "If Lutz is just as dirty as everyone else in this mess seems to be, then I would suspect that he wants to keep his actions hidden. And from what we've seen the only place incriminating evidence might be is in Marsha's files," Castle pointed out. "You're thinking that what our victim found was the original crime, the one Paul was trying to hide. The reason why the warehouse was destroyed and Al kept a copy of the document which showed Paul was at the auction. Since Rachel admitted that she was there too, then she could be an accomplice," Beckett remarked. "We know Marsha didn't keep anything at Twining Realty and she wouldn't have left it at her house since it was about to be destroyed. Where does that leave?" Richard asked.

"Lutz gave us the address for her old apartment. Do we know for certain that she stopped paying rent on it?" Kate wondered. "You're thinking that she was using it as a storage facility? Certainly more expensive than putting it in a deposit box or a commercial unit," he observed. "Yes, but it would also be more difficult for a person to steal or gain access to if anything happened to her. With that many people around, an intruder would gain a lot of attention," she asserted. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's high tail it on over there and find out!" the writer exclaimed. With Ryan and Esposito at their heels, they headed to the elevator. As they slipped inside, Kevin put in, "Any clue as to what might have motivated this much secrecy in the first place?" "Marsha learned something which was worth millions and got her father killed. When we find those files, they'll almost certainly lead us to our killer," Castle told him. They'd reached the ground floor and headed over to the patrol cars as Beckett added, "If they even exist. With the way things have been going, let's hope we're not on another wild goose chase."

"The doorman says a guy matching Lutz' description went up a few minutes ago and hasn't come down, so he should still be in the building," Ryan reported as they donned their bulletproof vests. "Get officers to cover all the doors. We'll see if Mister Lutz will come quietly," Beckett proclaimed as they entered the elevator and punched the number for the floor where Marsha Simmons had been previously staying. "So what do you think we'll find? Racketeering? A counterfeit operation? The keys to Fort Knox?" Castle wondered as they ascended. "Right now, I'd be happy to catch Lutz in one piece," Kate retorted as Ryan and Esposito stayed behind to cover the elevator and stairway. "Which number was she in again?" he inquired. "1420. There it is on the right," she whispered and the writer noted that the door was open.

Standing next to the jamb, his partner called out, "NYPD! Come out with your hands up, Morgan!" A second later, a shot was fired thru the door; sending debris in every dirction. "So much for him being a law-abiding citizen," Richard observed as their companions rushed to join them. "Do these rooms connect with one another?" Beckett asked. "He'd need a battering ram to get thru," Esposito assured them. "Alright. On three?" she suggested and they nodded in agreement before Kate murmured, "One. Two. Three!" Together, the police officers stormed thru the door with the writer following behind. Lutz was kneeling over a batch of papers with a lighter in his hand and Castle distinctly noted a pungent aroma as they drew near. "He's trying to destroy the evidence!" Richard called out, which caused Morgan to turn in their direction. "Don't move, Lutz! Put your hands behind your head!" the Detective commanded.

"I'm not going down for what she did," the private investigator protested. "We already know that Rachel hired you to cover up her connection to Paul's crimes. If you give yourself up, we can make a deal with the DA and get a reduced sentence. But none of that is going to happen if you don't surrender," his partner warned. "I'm sorry. I have no choice," Lutz replied, opening his palm and allowing the lighter to fall. Instinctively, the writer dove for cover on the near side of the bed as the room erupted in a flash of light and the suspect cried out in pain. "Everyone alright?" he called out after the sounds of struggling ceased. "We've got him, but he's going to need medical treatment. The blaze is under control, but there isn't much left of the files," Ryan reported.

Castle got to his feet and joined them. Beckett was sifting thru the remains of the papers, looking for anything which might be legible. "Must have been worth nearly dying for," Richard interjected, kneeling down to join her. "I doubt that Paul felt the same way," Kate countered. "Anything useful?" he wondered. "I've seen this name a few times, but I don't know what it means," she replied, gesturing to one of the fragments. "Reinhardt Mutual… sounds like an investment firm," Castle stated. "Part of the page is missing, so I can't tell. What I'd like to know is why Lutz would be willing to go to jail over these papers unless he was involved in whatever Pulaski was concealing. Everyone's so desperate, you'd think Paul committed a federal offense," Beckett noted. "That's it! You're brilliant!" Richard exclaimed. "What did I say?" Kate wondered. "There's only one crime which Paul Pulaski might be charged with if he used coercion to get these homes. Mail fraud," the writer reasoned.


	10. Chapter 10

X

"How are we coming on those insurance companies?" Beckett inquired. "Just got off the phone with Reinhardt Mutual Insurance. According to them, they paid out thousands of dollars to Paul Pulaski for repairs to house that had been vandalized; which he then sold for a profit," Esposito reported. "Ryan, anything turn up linking Lutz to those crimes?" Kate wondered. "There were a few strands of DNA they couldn't identify at the time. I'm having the lab run them against our friend right now," Kevin answered. "Did the hospital say how long it would be before he could answer any questions?" Castle asked. "Tomorrow morning at the earliest. Hopefully, Morgan fill be willing to turn Rachel in for a reduced sentence," his partner proclaimed. "It just doesn't feel right, arresting her for this when we've been trying to solve a murder for all of this time and haven't gotten anywhere. It's like catching Al Capone for tax evasion," he argued.

"Yeah, well; we can't win them all. Miss Pulaski may deny her involvement with any of her father's crimes, but if we can prove she contacted Lutz before he went to her sister's apartment; then we've got her on that as well," the Detective maintained. "So that's it? We're giving up. Two murders are going to remain unsolved because we've exhausted all of our leads and the only viable suspects won't testify because they've been implicated in a federal crime?" Richard inquired. "We both know that Captain Gates has been on our backs to put this to rest. At least this way; we're getting them off of the streets and protecting the other people who might know their secrets, like Al Iyndiri," Beckett reminded him. "Come on, guys. Say we prove Lutz vandalized those places and he was working for Paul at the time. The only evidence we have against Rachel is the call she made to him after we interrogated her. She can say that took place for any number of reasons. We aren't going to prove her guilt unless we keep digging," Castle told them.

"You heard what she said, bro. Sometimes you just have grin and bear it," Javier commented. "And on that note, I'm in need of a hard-earned rest. Once Morgan agrees to tell us what he knows abot Rachel's activities, we'll have probable cause to search her office for further proof of illegal activities. That should be provide us with everything we need to get a conviction," Kate remarked. As the others dispersed, she moved to the board and began to remove the photos of the victims and reached for the eraser which would wipe the slate clean.

"I'd like to make a request, but I don't want you to think I have any doubts about your ability to do your job," he began, then when his partner gave him her attention, went on, "Let me look thru the file this evening and see if I can come up with something. I know we've searched this thing inside and out half a dozen times already. I know that we both want it to be over with. But like you said, justice has waited this long to be served. If we can find out who committed these murders, don't you think it is worth waiting one more day?" "You want to go bang your head against our complete lack of evidence for a few more hours in the hope something suddenly make sense and give me an opportunity to catch our killer at the same time? I can live with that. But if you don't find anything by tomorrow, then I'm going to tell Captain Gates the case is closed. Deal?" she offered and Castle nodded.

"What are you looking at, dad?" Alexis inquired as she came into his office. "The details of our case. We've just about wrapped everything up, except for the murders. At this point, it appears that we'll have to convict our suspect of mail fraud instead," Castle reported. "Sounds like a win to me. I mean; you don't always have to catch the bad guy, right?" she noted. "I suppose not. After all, there have been a few times when someone has gotten away with their crimes. I was just hoping I might be able to make heads or tails out of this if I sat down and approached it like I was writing a novel. But every scenario I've come up with is either too farfetched or has been disproven by the evidence," he replied. "I'm sure you'll think of something. You always do, right?" his daughter observed. Richard smiled and embraced her for a moment before kissing her forehead and asking, "How is it that you always say just the right thing?" "I must have inherited it from Gram," Alexis answered.

"Speaking of which, where has she hidden herself this time?" the writer inquired. "There was a note on the fridge. Didn't you read it?" she wondered. "No, I guess I was too distracted," he admitted. His daughter went across the kitchen, retrieved the slip of paper and brought it back, saying, "She's gone down to the studio to oversee some alterations. Says not to wait up." "No, you definitely get your demeanor from her," Castle declared. "Well, I've got some studying to do. Try not to work on this all night," Alexis advised, leaving him to stare down at the photos. Richard began to shuffle thru the photos of the persons of interest in the case, wondering if one of them was behind the attack on Marsha Simmons.

While they'd established alibis for most of them, he knew that tracking all the leads would be impossible overnight. There was Xavier North, who'd noted a difference in Marsha's behavior towards him and while his story had checked out once he'd admitted the truth regarding his whereabouts; they still couldn't discount his testimony regarding a difference in his former girlfriend. Morgan Lutz would undoubtedly be the star witness in any trial that was held, since making a deal to implicate Rachel was the only way he would stay out of the federal penitentiary if he had any connection to Paul's illegal activities. And we never verified his alibi, since at the time we had no reason to suspect him, Castle reflected. Al Iyndiri had certainly guessed what his former client had been up to and stole a file to prove it before Paul had the warehouse destroyed. From the evidence they'd gathered, the most likely suspect for that crime was Lutz. Iyndiri probably met with Winthrop to arrange the transfer of the documents to a safe hiding place in the same house Paul had been buried in.

Proving who stole the body and laid it to rest would be hard without a confession and given the other crimes which had surfaced, Richard didn't count on that happening anytime soon. While Rachel told us she met her sister there, it was Marsha's investigation which led her father to try and conceal everything. Probably, Paul had Morgan look into her and that's when he learnt she was his daughter, then both of the Pulaskis began steps to alter their wills. But Paul died first, almost certainly due to Rachel's actions. When Marsha showed up, she hired Lutz without knowing about his connection with Paul's crimes; which is why he never mentioned the house to her. Only the records of the sales made thru her company proved there was anything shady going on. And if she found Al Iyndiri, she would have known what.

While her confidentiality agreements would have prevented her from revealing the source of her information, Marsha could have sent an anonymous tip. The only reason why she wouldn't have done that is because she was afraid. Which means Morgan must have threatened her, possibly at her apartment. So she moved out, knowing that he would probably never be able to find her in the very house which would serve as the key to her case against Rachel. But Rachel knew that her father's body had been buried there and couldn't risk having Marsha stumble across it. So they arrange a meeting, to which Pulaski secretly invited Lutz. He breaks in during their heated argument, a struggle ensues and Marsha is killed.

The only problem he saw with the scenario is the fact that Miss Simmons' body had been left there. While Morgan might not have known the site was about to be destroyed, Rachel certainly would've been aware of that and the secret concealed beneath their feet. "Still hard at work, I see?" his mother's voice interjected. "I asked Detective Beckett for one last crack at this case. Solve the whole thing, save the day and convince Captain Gates that I'm more than a giant pain in the neck," Castle told her. "From what I've heard, it will take a lot more than solving one murder to do that," Martha reasoned. "True, but I thought there was a chance I could bring just to the killers of two people. Unfortunately, all I have is a trail of supposition about a mile long and no evidence to back any of it up," Richard replied.

"Too bad you aren't writing this story. You could go back to the beginning and make everything less complicated," his mother proclaimed. "Yes, well after four days on this everyone involved has had just about enough of this mystery; myself included. As much as I hate to admit it, I'm getting nowhere fast," the writer told her. "Dad, are you still up?" his daughter's voice put in and he saw that she was ready for bed. "Oh, come on… it's only… 1 A.M. already? I guess time really does fly," Castle said. "You're doing none of us any good by brooding about this. Put these files away and get some sleep. Before you know it, you'll start working on another case and forget all about this one," Martha counseled. "Yeah, dad. I know how much letting something like this go must bug you. But you're not a cop. You can't solve all the world's problems," Alexis interjected.

"You're right. Even Superman can't be in two places at the same…" Richard trailed off, looking down at the pile of photos again. "What is it?" his daughter wondered. "Rachel Pulaski's alibi is a phone call from her sister's cell phone at 3:20 P.M. She was at work then, but we never found Marsha's phone," he explained. "So? The killer probably took it with him," Alexis observed. "Or tossed it in the trash, like her body. But there's no reason why Rachel couldn't have taken it and made the call herself since we don't know for sure what her sister's voice sounded like," the writer commented. "That still seems a bit thin. You'd have to find the phone in her possession to prove it. And goodness knows she's had enough time to get rid of the thing," his mother reminded him.

"I guess I was just hoping that I was onto something new. Without that alibi, Rachel could have easily been involved in the murder of her sister and father," Castle told them. "Are those the pictures of the people involved in all of this?" his daughter wondered, pointing to the stack he'd been in the process of reviewing. "Yes. I was just going over what we know about each of them in my mind. So far, nothing has fell into place," Richard admitted. "You can't let yourself allow one case to absorb so much of your attention, my boy. You are still an author, after all. If you're doing this, when will you have time to write anything? Don't you still have a few more novels to finish in order to fulfill your contract? Or would you like for your publisher to start calling to remind you of your deadline?" Martha put in.

"You know, it feels like you two are trying to gang up on me," he pointed out. "We're just looking for your best interests, dad. Now you should really get to bed," Alexis admonished. "Who am I to argue with the wisdom of such beautiful and talented women?" the writer declared, beginning to put the pile of evidence back into the box he'd used to bring it home. "Just try to forget about it, dad. I've seen your copy of your first rejection letter, so I know you can deal with failure," his daughter said. "We'll see whether you handle it the same way when it's your turn," Castle countered. "Hopefully, in a few more days you'll forget all about this entire affair and these people; whoever they are," his mother added. Richard nodded in acknowledgement, but even as he did so he felt final piece to the puzzle which had been assembling in his head snap into place and knew that tomorrow would bring about the resolution to this crime which everyone involved had been looking for. I only hope that I can convince Beckett I haven't gone completely insane, he reasoned.


	11. Chapter 11

XI

"What are you doing, Castle?" Beckett inquired as she approached the murder board, where he'd been standing for the last few minutes shifting around the photos which were posted there. "I have a theory, but I don't think you're going to like it," Richard proclaimed, taking down the pictures before holding up one each hand with the backs facing her. "Are you playing some kind of game?" Kate wondered. "One of these people is our murderer and the other is the victim," Castle explained, then turned them over to show the faces of Rachel Pulaski and Marsha Simmons before adding, "Now you tell me which one is which." His partner started to raise a hand, stopped and looked at each of them again.

"I remembered what Xavier North said, about how Marsha wouldn't give him the time of day and I realized; he never said that he knew she had a twin sister. We know that Marsha was investigating the illegal activities which her father and sister were involved with and that's what brought her to the house where the body was left. Although it has been clear that Rachel would have gone to great lengths in order to conceal her crimes, she would have never left a second body at the same location as her father's since that would only expose them. The only reason why it wasn't taken away is because our killer didn't know Paul was buried there. And last night, I realized that either twin could have made that phone call; pretending to be the other," he stated. "You're serious, aren't you? But how can we prove it? We don't have any records which show this is true," Beckett observed. "I have an idea," the writer answered.

"We're sorry for the earlier misunderstanding, Miss Pulaski, Mister Harper. I just wanted to assure you in person that we are about to close our investigation and we've concluded that there is no evidence to support a connection between you and the deaths of Paul Pulaski or Marsha Simmons," Kate proclaimed. "Well, that's a relief. But couldn't you have called us on the phone?" Sean wondered. "Unfortunately, there is the small matter of the testimony of Marvin Lutz; a private investigator Marsha hired," Castle told them. "What does someone who worked for my sister have to do with me?" Rachel asked. "He's agreed to testify to the destruction of a warehouse five years ago on your father's orders, along with the disposal of Paul's body. Along with the collaboration of Al Iyndiri and the files Lutz was trying to destroy; I'm afraid that you've been implicated in several cases of mail fraud," his partner stated. "That's preposterous! Rachel wouldn't do such a thing," Harper argued.

"We've requested duplicates from the insurance companies and they were kind enough to inform us that Marsha had done the same thing about three weeks ago. Lutz told us that you learned about it arranged a meeting with your sister at the house where her body was found. Morgan insists that the death was an accident, although the severity of the sentence will depend upon the jury," Richard went on. "Now you're saying that I'm going to be charged with manslaughter?" Pulaski inquired. "We believe that there may have been extenuating circumstances. Specifically, your knowledge of Lutz' activities and your ability to carry on the business afterward. He threatened you and so you went along with his plan. That's why you assumed your sister's identity; isn't it, Marsha?" Beckett demanded. Sean Harper looked puzzled for a moment, then glanced at the woman sitting next to him and declared, "Tell them it's not true. They aren't right… are they?"

His fiancee sighed, looking downcast as she nodded. "Oh my… how long did you plan to keep on lying to me? Were you going to wait until after our wedding? Or just break things off and never say a word why?" Harper exclaimed. "There is a silver lining in all of this. Marsha has no motive for killing Paul and no involvement in her sister's crimes. So all of those charges can be dropped," he put in. "This is a confession, acknowledging the fact that you've been masquerading as Rachel Pulaski after her death," Kate told them, pushing a piece of paper across the table. Her hands shaking, Marsha Simmons signed and then asked, "When can I call my parents and tell them I'm okay?" "We're not quite done here yet. While Rachel's death may not have been intentional, you have concealed a number of the facts from us; including your true identity," Castle pointed out.

"Yes, but I've explained that. Lutz was the one who got violent. It was over before I knew it and then he suggested that I take control of the company. My sister and I were twins, so who would guess? We'd both continue to make money and everyone would be happy," Simmons observed. "Except for Rachel Pulaski. You knew that the demolition of that house would probably eliminate her body. Without those remains, proving that a crime had taken place would be nearly impossible. What you weren't aware of was Paul's body, buried under the rubble," his partner remarked. "That's what threw us off the trail for so long. Why would you reveal an earlier crime by committing a second offense? But you had no knowledge of how Rachel had killed Paul and arranged for him to be concealed there. Instead of reporting what had happened, you tried to cover it up. That's called consciousness of guilt. Finally, you did one other thing which will show any jury that not only were you aware of the severity of the crime; but you also wanted to give yourself an alibi so no one could accuse you of committing it," Richard commented.

Beckett laid a tape recorder on the table and pressed the button and they all listened as it played. "Rachel? Something's wrong! I'm in danger. Someone is following me. I need help," it said. "That's the phone call your answering machine recorded at 3:20 P.M. The one made from your cell phone to the offices of Twining Realty. Where their records show you had been clocked in since 3:02," Kate explained. "Our coroner put time of death between 2 and 5 PM that day. Since you stayed at work until after six, you obviously couldn't have been involved then. But there's no reason why there might not have been an altercation before you got there," the writer observed.

"You see, the prosecution will be quick to point out that if you were who you've claimed to be; then this would give you an alibi for most of the time when your sister could have been killed," his partner went on. "However, Rachel would have never made this call; pretending to be you," Castle added. "Therefore, the only person whose voice is on that tape is yours. By trying to trick us into thinking you were dead, you've proven your involvement in your sister's murder," Beckett concluded. Marsha Simmons glared across at them, then stated, "I'd like to speak with my attorney."

"You're kidding me, right? Marsha Simmons is alive?" Captain Gates asked. "No, sir. Apparently, the confrontation went just as Lutz told us once we confronted him with our knowledge of the victim's real identity. Rachel was eager to talk her sister out of her investigation, but Morgan just wanted Marsha gone. Pulaski and Lutz fought, then Marsha intervened and Rachel stumbled; hitting her head," Beckett proclaimed. "That's when they hatched this whole mad scheme. Since Miss Pulaski had committed murder to keep her half of her parents' fortune, there was no way Marsha was in her will and Morgan knew that. But if Rachel had apparently survived, then business would proceed as usual," Castle added.

"The only problem was the body. Morgan had stolen it, but someone else had hidden Paul there. We think that was an associate of Al Iyndiri, but he hasn't agreed to tell us who yet. So when Marsha suggested leaving Rachel inside and letting her remains be either buried by the debris or carted away by Roquefort Construction, Lutz didn't object," Kate went on. "Marsha knew that he would be watching her and could never run the company without continuing the masquerade. She decided to make the call to serve as an alibi, just in case Rachel was ever found," Richard commented. "When the body was discovered, Marsha continued the deception because she must have known there would be no records which could prove otherwise," his partner put in.

"It might have worked, except for our discovery of Paul. That revealed all of her sister's crimes and meant Marsha could be convicted for any of them by the testimony of Morgan Lutz," the writer maintained. "So you offered to drop those charges in exchange for a confession. But what if she retracts that whenever it comes to trial? After all, the difference between the sisters is so small that it might leave a reasonable doubt in the minds of a jury," Gates reminded them. "Marsha faces two very bad options. Either she goes to jail for killing her sister or for mail fraud. I'm willing to bet that she makes a deal for a reduced sentence and pleads guilty in the death of her sister," Beckett asserted. "I hope that you're right. I take it this means you believe Rachel Pulaski killed her father," the Captain noted. "We have plenty of evidence which rules Marsha out in that case. Morgan Lutz wasn't able to tell us whether Rachel was responsible, but it's the only thing that fits the facts," Castle replied.

"So you're closing that case?" Victoria observed. "Yes, sir. As far as we're concerned, both of these murders have been solved," Kate answered. "That's good to hear. Now get out of my office and back to work," Gates instructed. As they did so, Richard stated, "So, I believe I owe you a hundred dollars?" "For what?" she wondered. "You'll recall that I said the manner of Paul's death would lead us to his killer and in an indirect way, it has. But the relationship between the Pulaskis seems to have been just fine, except for the fact that Paul had two daughters he'd never known about. Which means you win our bet and I lose," he declared, holding out a single bill. "Keep it. I'll put it on your tab," his partner offered. "I wasn't aware that I had one," the writer responded. "Goodnight, Castle. See you in the morning," Beckett told him as she walked towards the elevator. The board which had held the details of the case was empty once more and he took a moment to glance around the precinct and wonder just what would bring him here next time.

"Alexis, mother; it is time for a celebration!" Castle proclaimed as he entered his apartment. "Does this mean you solved it?" his daughter wondered. "With a little help from your inspiring words last night and Detective Beckett, another killer sits behind bars," Richard answered. "Hopefully this means you'll keep decent hours, like a normal person," Martha put in. "I'll have you know that my actions are based upon what I think is needed for the problem at hand. Whether that is an unsolved crime, a new chapter in my book or the latest crisis at home," he promised. "I know you will. You've always come thru for me and you haven't let Detective Beckett down either. But you can only do so much at a time, dad," Alexis observed.

"You have to admit she's right. You've been so busy with defending law and order that you haven't taken the time to relax a little," his mother chastised him. "I realize that. It's true that I'm not a police officer. But I feel like it's my duty to do what I can to bring closure to the victims. I wouldn't want anybody to suffer for years, never knowing what had happened to their loved ones," Castle proclaimed. "You're not just talking about your work. You're worried about her, aren't you?" Martha inquired knowingly. "I have every reason to be. Whoever arranged the death of Joanna Beckett is still out there. They are rich and powerful and will be watching every move the police make. I would be neglecting my responsibilities if I didn't try to help in any way that I can," Richard told them. "In the meantime, why don't we get dinner?" his daughter suggested. "Anything particular you had in mind?" he wondered and Alexis answered, "Surprise me."


End file.
